Affected claimants will need to make their money last longer due to the upcoming bank holiday date
Payments due on May 25 will be affected(Image: valentinrussanov via Getty Images)
Benefit payments will be affected for certain claimants next week as the UK sees its second bank holiday date in May. Bank holidays can cause payments to be on a different date for people who receive benefits.
People claiming benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC, such as Universal Credit and Child Benefit, may be impacted from Monday, May 25 – a bank holiday date across the UK.
If you would normally be due a benefit payment on this date, then you will be paid on Friday, May 22 instead. The DWP and HMRC do not pay benefit payments on bank holidays – they normally arrive on the previous working day.
It comes after the UK saw the first bank holiday date in May earlier this month on Monday, May 4 – with those affected receiving payments on Friday, May 1.
Whether your benefits are affected by the May bank holidays depends on when your regular payment date is.
If you are paid monthly you can calculate your next payment date by counting four weeks forward from your last payment date and seeing if it falls on one of the bank holiday dates. Your payment date will go back to normal following the bank holiday.
The amount you’re paid will be exactly the same, and it will be paid into your regular bank account as normal. The only difference is you will need to make your money last longer, as you’ll have a slightly bigger wait until your next benefit payment.
If you were expecting your benefit and it hasn’t arrived, contact the DWP helpline on 0800 328 5644. This helpline is closed on bank holiday days, but you will be able to get in touch the previous working day, or the day after the bank holiday.
When are benefits normally paid?
- Attendance Allowance – Usually every four weeks
- Carer’s Allowance – Weekly in advance or every four weeks
- Child Benefit – Usually every four weeks
- Disability Living Allowance – Usually every four weeks
- Employment and Support Allowance – Usually every two weeks
- Income Support – Usually every two weeks
- Jobseeker’s Allowance – Usually every two weeks
- Pension Credit – Usually every four weeks
- Personal Independence Payment – Usually every four weeks
- State Pension – Usually every four weeks
- Tax credits – Every four weeks or weekly
- Universal Credit – Every month
Upcoming bank holidays in England and Wales
- Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
- Monday, August 31 – Summer bank holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
Upcoming bank holidays in Scotland
- Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
- Monday, June 15 – World Cup bank holiday
- Monday, August 3 – Summer bank holiday
- Monday, November 30 – St Andrew’s Day
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
Upcoming bank holidays in Northern Ireland
- Monday, May 25 – Spring bank holiday
- Monday, July 13 – Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) (substitute day)
- Monday, August 31 – Summer bank holiday
- Friday, December 25 – Christmas Day
- Monday, December 28 – Boxing Day (substitute day)
