THE August bank holiday is coming up and millions of people will be making plans.
The three day weekend means benefits including Universal Credit, state pension and child benefit will be paid early.
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Bank holidays can affect your usual dates for getting benefit payments.
For example, over the Easter break, many claimants were paid the day before Good Friday.
And during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, thousands got paid earlier than usual.
This year’s summer bank holiday for most of the UK falls on Monday, August 29.
It means all benefit claimants who are due to be paid on August 29 will get their money earlier than usual.
When will my Universal Credit be paid over the August bank holiday weekend?
Universal Credit is paid once a month into your bank, building society or credit union account.
If you’re benefit payment date falls on a bank holiday, you’ll usually be paid on the working day before.
This means you will get your Universal Credit payment earlier than usual if you are due to fall on Monday, August 29.
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Payment is expected on the working day before, which is Friday, August 26.
There’s nothing you need to do – the change in payment date will happen automatically.
If your payment date falls on a normal working day on either side of the long weekend, you’ll get payments as normal.
What other benefit payment dates will change over the August Bank Holiday weekend?
Universal Credit isn’t the only benefit that an be affected by bank holidays.
The following payment dates can also change:
Will the amount of Universal Credit or benefit I’m paid change?
The amount of Universal Credit or other benefit payment amount you get won’t change.
The only exception is if you’ve had a change of circumstances at the same time which affects how much you get.
Although it seems like getting paid early is a blessing, it does mean you need to plan out your month to make sure you don’t spend everything at once.
Make sure you factor this into your budget for September.
If you don’t think you’ve been paid when you should’ve, make sure to check the payment date on your award notice and ask your bank first, before calling HMRC.
You can submit a complaint to the DWP if something’s not right.
What other bank holidays can affect Universal Credit and benefit payments?
August’s long bank holiday weekend is not the only bank holiday you’ll get this year.
Here’s the full list of remaining Bank holidays in 2022 that could affect your benefit payments:
- Wednesday, November 30 – St Andrew’s Day (Scotland only)
- Monday, December 26 – Boxing Day
- Tuesday, December 27 – Christmas Day (substitute day)
Meanwhile, we have put together a handy guide to all the big money changes that are coming this month.
