diff --git a/spec/factories/statements.rb b/spec/factories/statements.rb
index 187d90ae20..6674235103 100644
--- a/spec/factories/statements.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/statements.rb
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
     end
 
     month { Faker::Number.between(from: 1, to: 12) }
-    year { Faker::Number.between(from: 2021, to: 2024) }
-    deadline_date { Faker::Date.forward(days: 30) }
-    payment_date { Faker::Date.forward(days: 30) }
+    year { Faker::Number.between(from: 2022, to: 2024) }
+    deadline_date { Date.new(year, month, 1) - 6.days }
+    payment_date { Date.new(year, month, 25) }
     cohort { create(:cohort, :current) }
     lead_provider { declaration&.lead_provider || build(:lead_provider) }
     reconcile_amount { Faker::Number.decimal(l_digits: 3, r_digits: 2) }
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     output_fee { true }
 
     trait(:next_output_fee) do
-      deadline_date { 1.day.from_now }
+      next_period
       output_fee { true }
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/services/declarations/create_spec.rb b/spec/services/declarations/create_spec.rb
index bef009e8da..4063a1f3ef 100644
--- a/spec/services/declarations/create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/services/declarations/create_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 RSpec.describe Declarations::Create, type: :model do
   let(:lead_provider) { LeadProvider.all.sample }
-  let(:cohort) { create(:cohort, :current) }
+  let(:cohort) { create(:cohort, start_year: 2022) }
   let(:course_group) { CourseGroup.find_by(name: "leadership") || create(:course_group, name: "leadership") }
   let(:course) { create(:course, :senior_leadership, course_group:) }
   let!(:schedule) { create(:schedule, :npq_leadership_autumn, course_group:, cohort:) }
@@ -120,9 +120,13 @@
       end
 
       context "with an fundable participant" do
-        let(:application) { create(:application, :eligible_for_funded_place, cohort:, course:, lead_provider:) }
         let(:existing_declaration) { Declaration.last }
 
+        before do
+          cohort.update! funding_cap: true
+          application.update! eligible_for_funding: true
+        end
+
         %w[eligible payable paid].each do |state|
           context "when the state is #{state}" do
             before { existing_declaration.update!(state:) }
@@ -248,7 +252,7 @@
     end
 
     context "when there are no available output fee statements" do
-      before { lead_provider.next_output_fee_statement(cohort).update!(output_fee: false) }
+      before { lead_provider.next_output_fee_statement(cohort).try(:update!, { output_fee: false }) }
 
       context "when the declarations is submitted" do
         it { is_expected.to be_valid }
@@ -299,7 +303,9 @@
       it "calls `StatementAttacher`" do
         expect_any_instance_of(Declarations::StatementAttacher).to receive(:attach)
 
-        subject
+        travel_to statement.deadline_date - 1.day do
+          subject
+        end
       end
     end