Millions of people claiming benefits can expect changes to when they will receive payment this month due to the Easter Bank Holiday. Good Friday lands on April 15 and Easter Monday falls on April 18 which could throw off the usual payment dates.
The Department of Work and Pensions office will be closed on bank holidays meaning you won’t be able to get your money if they fall on either of the dates above.
So, here’s when you’ll be paid if your payment dates fall on the Easter bank holiday weekend:
Easter benefit payment dates - when you can expect to receive your money over the bank holiday period
Millions of people claiming benefits have been warned of changes to their payment dates next month. Around six million people in the UK are claiming universal credit and have been warned their payments will be changing this month due to the Easter Bank Holiday, the Mirror reports.
The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that if you are due to be paid on Friday, April 15, you'll get your money a day early on Thursday, April 14 instead.
If you are due to be paid on Monday, April 18, you'll also be paid on Thursday, April 14 - three days early. This covers most benefits such as tax credits, pension payments and universal credit if your usual payment date falls on a public holiday.
And there’s more. Two weeks later, after the Easter bank holiday weekend, there’s the May Day Bank Holiday, where, once again, millions of workers will get the day off and the benefits office will shut. That means if you’re due to be paid on Monday, May 2, you’ll get your money early on Friday, April 29.
And then there’s the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend, giving Britons another four-day weekend, with the benefits office closing on Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3. Once again, it will mean millions of claimants whose payment dates fall on those days will get them earlier, receiving their cash on Wednesday, June 1.
What about the state pension, ESA, income support, carer's allowance and other benefits?
As with universal credit, if you are due a payment on either Easter Friday or Easter Monday, the support will come through on the Thursday beforehand instead.
This also applies to attendance allowance, the state pension, carer’s allowance, disability living allowance, employment and support allowance, jobseeker's allowance, pension credit and personal independence payments.
Changes in the amount of benefits you could receive
Child Benefit pays £21.15 a week for the first child and £14.95 a week for subsequent children to qualifying parents. From April, it's rising to £21.80 per week and £14.45 per week for additional children.
Tax credits work as a separate system, and are benefits paid to families who need it most such as those who need help to care for children, are disabled or have low incomes.
There are two types of tax credit – child tax credit and working tax credit. You might be eligible for one or both of them, depending on your circumstances.
