Payments will be affected for thousands of people across this country next week
You may want to check if you will be paid as normal.(Image: inyourArea)
Thousands of benefit claimants will see their payment dates shifted next month due to the two upcoming bank holidays.
Because the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC do not process payments on bank holidays, any benefit payments due on those dates will be processed the previous working day.
If your payment is scheduled for Monday, May 4, you will instead be paid on Friday, May 1. Likewise if you’re due to be paid on Monday, May 25, you will instead be paid on Friday, May 22. This is because both of these Mondays are bank holidays.
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While receiving your money early may seem convenient, recipients are being reminded that this creates a longer gap between this payment and the next one.
The amount you receive will remain exactly the same as usual, provided there have been no changes to your personal circumstances. You do not need to do anything differently, as your payment will be deposited into the same bank account you currently use for your benefits.
This change applies to both DWP benefits (such as Universal Credit) and HMRC benefits (such as Child Benefit).
If you check your bank account and find your payment has not arrived on the expected date, follow these steps:
- Verify your account – Double-check your transactions
- Contact the helpline – If the money is still not there, contact the relevant department.
- Note operating hours – Remember that help lines are closed on bank holidays. You will need to wait until the next working day to speak with an advisor.
Below are the key phone numbers for each benefit:
- Universal Credit – 0800 328 5644
- Child Benefit – 0300 200 3100
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, & Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – 0800 169 0310
While payment dates shift during bank holidays, the frequency of your payments remains determined by the type of benefit you claim.
While Universal Credit is paid monthly, JSA, ESA and Income Support are paid every two weeks.
Attendance Allowance, Child Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payment and State Pension are also paid every four weeks. Carer’s Allowance can be paid weekly or every four weeks.
