diff --git a/app/lib/general.lib.js b/app/lib/general.lib.js
index 195174711b..bf7ed1de70 100644
--- a/app/lib/general.lib.js
+++ b/app/lib/general.lib.js
@@ -27,6 +27,53 @@ function generateUUID () {
   return randomUUID({ disableEntropyCache: true })
 }
 
+/**
+ * Tests if one set of periods (represented by a start and end date) overlaps with another
+ *
+ * Added as part of two-part tariff and the need to match returns and lines to charge elements. A common complication in
+ * WRLS is the need to convert an abstract period, for example '1 Nov to 31 Mar' to a concrete period (2023-11-01 to
+ * 2024-03-31). It gets even more complex when the period crosses over another, for example the start or end of a
+ * billing period. Then the only way to represent the abstract period in a usable way is as 2 separate periods. Hence
+ * this service deals with arrays of periods.
+ *
+ * > See the comments for `DetermineAbstractionPeriodService` to better understand the complexity of going from
+ * > abstract to concrete periods
+ *
+ * Then there are times we need to test if the periods of one thing overlap with another. In two-part tariff that's the
+ * abstraction periods of a charge element with those of a return. If _any_ of the periods overlap then the return is
+ * 'matched' and can be allocated to the charge element.
+ *
+ * This method iterates through the `referencePeriods`. It then filters the `checkPeriods` by testing if any of them
+ * overlap with the `referencePeriod`. If any do `checkPeriods.filter()` will return a non-empty array at which point
+ * `periodsOverlap()` will return `true`.
+ *
+ * Else, having compared all the `checkPeriods` against each `referencePeriod` and finding no overlaps the function will
+ * return false.
+ *
+ * @param {Object[]} referencePeriods Each period is an object containing a `startDate` and `endDate` property
+ * @param {Object[]} checkPeriods Each period is an object containing a `startDate` and `endDate` property. These
+ * periods will be checked against the `referencePeriods for any overlaps
+ *
+ * @returns {boolean} Returns true if there _any_ check period overlaps with a reference period, else false
+ */
+function periodsOverlap (referencePeriods, checkPeriods) {
+  for (const referencePeriod of referencePeriods) {
+    const overLappingPeriods = checkPeriods.filter((checkPeriod) => {
+      if (checkPeriod.startDate > referencePeriod.endDate || referencePeriod.startDate > checkPeriod.endDate) {
+        return false
+      }
+
+      return true
+    })
+
+    if (overLappingPeriods.length) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
 /**
  * Returns the current date and time as an ISO string
  *
@@ -44,5 +91,6 @@ function timestampForPostgres () {
 
 module.exports = {
   generateUUID,
+  periodsOverlap,
   timestampForPostgres
 }
diff --git a/test/lib/general.lib.test.js b/test/lib/general.lib.test.js
index ba58b40656..42d6baa88d 100644
--- a/test/lib/general.lib.test.js
+++ b/test/lib/general.lib.test.js
@@ -48,4 +48,129 @@ describe('RequestLib', () => {
       expect(result).to.equal('2015-10-21T20:31:57.000Z')
     })
   })
+
+  describe('#periodsOverlap', () => {
+    let referencePeriod
+    let checkPeriod
+
+    describe('when given periods that do not overlap', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-02')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-01-31')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns false', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(false)
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when a check period overlaps the start of a reference period', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-28')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-15'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-15')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns true', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when a check period overlaps the end of a reference period', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-01-31')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-15'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-15')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns true', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when a reference period is completely inside a check period', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-15')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-28')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns true', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when a check period is completely inside a reference period', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-01-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-28')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-15')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns true', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when the periods are the same', () => {
+      beforeEach(() => {
+        referencePeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-28')
+        }]
+
+        checkPeriod = [{
+          startDate: new Date('2023-02-01'),
+          endDate: new Date('2023-02-28')
+        }]
+      })
+
+      it('returns true', () => {
+        const result = GeneralLib.periodsOverlap(referencePeriod, checkPeriod)
+
+        expect(result).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    })
+  })
 })