The Easter bank holidays mean there will be some changes to the dates of payment for benefits and the state pension
Easter is upon us and with it the promise of a four-day break for many as the weekend is bookended by two bank holidays on Monday and Friday.
Although this is a great opportunity to relax and unwind or even get away for a few days, it also means many businesses and services will also be shut down for longer than usual.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices, banks and building societies will be closed for the bank holidays, which means payments into people’s accounts will be affected.
For those who claims benefits or a state pension, there is likely to be some alterations to the days of payment as a result.
We take a look at the detail.
When will universal credit be paid over the Easter bank holidays?
Universal credit payments are usually paid in on a monthly basis.
If your payment is due on the bank holidays of Friday 18 April, Good Friday, or Monday 21 April, Easter Monday, then the payment will be brought forward to Thursday 17 April.
Payments on all other days will remain unaffected and will arrive in accounts as normal.
The amount due to be paid will also remain the same, so earlier payment means the money may have to last a day or two longer than usual.
What about other benefits?
Benefits payments are usually made straight to the bank, building society or credit union account of the claimant.
When a payment date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, then the claimant is generally paid on the working day before.
Both the DWP and the HMRC (which administers child benefit and tax credits) have said payments due over the Easter bank holiday weekend will be paid on the last working day before.
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As Easter brings two bank holidays either side of a weekend, payments due between Friday 18 April and Monday 21 April will now be made onThursday 17 April.
Benefit payments are administered by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and in the event of a bank holiday, payments are made on the last working day before the bank holiday which isThursday 17 April.
This is the schedule for DWP’s and HMRC’s benefit payments:
- Attendance allowance– usually every four weeks
- Carer’s allowance– weekly in advance or every four weeks
- Child benefit– usually every four weeks, weekly forsingle parentsand some benefits claimants
- 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
- Maternityallowance – every two or four weeks
- Pension credit– usually every four weeks
- Personal independence payment (PIP)– usually every four weeks
- Tax credits– every four weeks or weekly
If a benefit payment is not made by the expected day, the DWP advises claimants to check the date on their award notice and bank account.
If the date is correct but the money has failed to arrive in a claimant’s account, they should then contact the appropriate helpline on the government website.
When will the state pension be paid over the Easter bank holidays?
As with benefits, the basic state pension is paid directly into a claimant’s bank, building society or credit union account.
Pension payments are made on a four-week cycle, with the day on which it is paid dependent on the last two digits of a claimant’snational insurance(NI) number.
This is how NI numbers correspond to days of payment:
- 00 to 19: Monday
- 20 to 39: Tuesday
- 40 to 59: Wednesday
- 60 to 79: Thursday
- 80 to 99: Friday
For those who would normally receive their state pension ona Monday or Friday, the Easter bank holidays mean they will now receive their pension payments on the first working day before which isThursday 17 April.
For those who discover a problem with their pension payments, a helpline is availablehere on the DWP website.
