MILLIONS of households on Universal Credit and benefits could get their payments ahead of the King’s Coronation this weekend.
Brits are getting an extra bank holiday to commemorate the royal event this Monday (May 8).
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But, if your Universal Credit or benefits payment date lands on a weekend or bank holiday you won’t be paid on your usual date.
This is because the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) doesn’t make benefit payments on bank holidays – so you won’t be paid on May 8.
Instead, the bank holiday will mean that you might see your cash hit your bank account today, a few days before your usual payment date.
This counts for the following 12 benefits:
Income Support, jobseekers’s allowance and pension credit payments usually arrive every two weeks while the rest arrive every four weeks.
Keep in mind there’s another bank holiday later in May to watch out for too.
So, the payments usually made on May 29 date will be shifted forward to May 26.
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If you don’t receive your benefit payment one working day before the bank holiday, you should contact DWP directly.
You can also submit a complaint to them to get a problem sorted if your payment is wrong.
Will my benefit payment amount change?
No, the amount you’re due should remain the same.
It will only be different if you’ve had a change in circumstances since your last payment, which you’ll need to alert the DWP of.
You don’t need to do anything if your usual date for getting the state pension falls on a bank holiday.
Don’t forget that if you get paid early then you’ll have to make the money you get go further as you’ll have extra days to wait until your next payment date.
Make sure you factor this into your budget.
If your money is not paid on time, then you should double-check the date you get paid normally and contact your bank.
Failing that, you should contact the DWP.
You can also submit a complaint to the DWP over any unpaid benefits.
Other payments coming in May
You should expect to see the first chunk of the £900 cost of living payment land in accounts between April 25 and May 17.
It’s £301 and it’s for households receiving certain benefits, including Universal Credit.
The government estimates that around seven million will have already had their first payments this week.
The payments are part of a package of wider support announced to tackle the cost of living.
It includes a further £300 payment for eligible families in autumn, and then a payment of £299 in spring 2024.
There will also be a £150 cost of living payment for eligible people with certain disabilities.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
