A bit of possible good luck for you...
This extract from an email sent from UKBA's Operational Policy & Process Improvement (Employment Team) last September says in part...
My reply of 10 September was based on an understanding of the policy intention behind the exclusions. It has become clear that the Rules and guidance do not reflect the policy intent. The intention was that no redundancy payments at all should count as earnings - though pay in lieu of notice should. We will need to amend the Rules and guidance to give effect to this at the next update. In the meantime, as our position is not currently clear, we will accept redundancy payments as 'earnings' for points-scoring under Tier 1 (General) until the next rules change and guidance update.
... other stuff...
On the particular point regarding bonus payments, these are made as remuneration for work undertaken during the preceding period, and as such they can be considered to be earnings. This is as opposed to redundancy payments, which can objectively be considered to be compensatory payments, rather than remuneration for work undertaken.
... more stuff about other things...
Given that the rules and guidance are not clear on this point at present, and they do suggest that other types of redundancy may be acceptable as earnings, we will accept non-statutory redundancy payments as earnings, until such a time as the rules and guidance are updated to reflect our policy position. The update is likely to take place in November.
... more stuff about bonus payments and other forms of earnings...
... more blah blah blah...
This means it is either explicitly dealt with in the policy (since November is 5 months ago), or the reading is still in the pipeline. Or they can't make the reading because the topic is in dispute. Or they just plain want to be vague on the point. Double-check the policy first, if it's not in the policy, then use the above as a guideline.
Take to mind that since it's vague to begin with, that it may work against you as well...
