THE Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is making a big change for those on Universal Credit and benefits.
To give everyone the opportunity to watch and celebrate the King’s Coronation, the DWP has cancelled all Jobcentre appointments on Saturday, May 6 during this time.
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However, Jobcentres which are open to the public on Saturdays will still be open for claimants to drop in if they need to.
The DWP has also confirmed that all Jobcentres will close during the three planned bank holidays in May.
There are 639 Jobcentres in operation across the country and you can locate your closest one by typing in your postcode on the government’s website.
The centres are filled with work coaches to help and support those claiming legacy benefits and Universal Credit.
Jobcentres are primarily there to assist those on Universal Credit to find and get back into work.
When you apply for Universal Credit online, you will need to visit your local Jobcentre where you’ll be assigned a work coach and a dedicated central case manager.
All the advice and help provided is free of charge and the work coach helps customers look for work that is most suited to their skills.
Some of the free training courses on offer include helping claimants write a CV and teaching applicants how to behave during job interviews.
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The DWP announced in February that it would close 20 Jobcentres which were set up temporarily during the pandemic to help ensure social distancing guidelines were followed.
The DWP said at the time that the decommissioning of these temporary sites, where they are no longer required, will not reduce its levels of service or access to face-to-face appointments going forward.
Last year, the DWP announced the closure of 10 “poorer quality” Jobcentres and many were merged to help offer customers a better level of service.
We’ve listed the exact dates that all Jobcentres will close during the bank holidays next month below.
When will Jobcentres close next month?
All Jobcentres and phone lines will be closed on the Spring bank holiday which is taking place on Monday, May 1.
Jobcentres will close again on Monday, May 8 due to the one-off bank holiday for the Coronation of King Charles III.
Again all Jobcentres and phone lines will close for the third time on Monday, May 29 during the Spring bank holiday.
How are benefit payments affected by bank holidays?
Thousands of people claiming benefits could see a change to their payments within weeks.
If your payment date falls on a bank holiday then you’ll most likely get it earlier.
You won’t need to do anything – the payment will still be made and the amount won’t change.
Here’s when the DWP will make your payments if you’re scheduled to receive them on the following days:
- Early May bank holiday – payments due on May 1 will arrive early on April 28
- Bank holiday for King Charles III – payments due on May 9 will arrive early on May 5
- Spring bank holiday – payments due on May 29 will arrive early on May 26
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.
