All the UK bank holiday dates in 2025 that could affect your benefit payments including Universal Credit

THOUSANDS of benefit claimants can expect to see their payment dates shift this year thanks to various bank holidays.

Households receiving Universal Credit, Child Benefit and Tax Credits are among those affected.

Benefit payments are made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) , which tends to shuffle payment dates around bank holidays.

It means that thousands of benefit payments are set to change in certain months in 2025.

Typically, if your payment date lands on a bank holiday, you can expect to receive it earlier than usual.

You should receive your money the first working day before the date you are supposed to be paid.

The amount you get paid will not change and will be the same as the previous month unless you’ve had a change of circumstances that affects your claim.

We’ve just had the New Year’s bank holiday, so the next holiday that could affect payments will come in Easter, with Good Friday on April 18 and Easter Monday on April 21.

Then there are two holidays in May at the beginning of the month on the 5th and then later on the 26th.

Plus, there’s another on August 25 before we get breaks again for Christmas Day and Boxing Day on December 25 and 26.

Universal Credit and Child Benefit are among the most widely claimed benefits that will be affected by holidays but there are others too.

These are all the benefits the government lists on its website that could be moved forwards thanks to bank holidays and when they are usually paid

• Attendance allowance – usually paid every four weeks
• Carer’s allowance – usually paid every four weeks
• Child benefit – usually paid every four weeks (weekly for some parents)
• Disability living allowance – usually paid every four weeks
• Employment and support allowance – usually paid every two weeks
• Income support – usually paid every two weeks
• Jobseeker’s allowance – usually paid every two weeks
• Pension credit – usually paid every four weeks
• Personal independence payment – usually paid every four weeks
• State pension – usually paid every four weeks
• Tax credits (such as working tax credit) – usually paid every four weeks
• Universal Credit – every month

If you get paid early, it has a knock-on effect and you will have to wait extra days until your next payment date and make the money stretch over a longer period of time.

If you don’t receive an expected payment contact your bank before contacting DWP.

You can file a complaint with the DWP over unpaid benefits.

Check your benefit entitlement

It’s important to make sure you are getting all the help you are entitled to, particularly with the higher cost of living putting pressure on household budgets

They also tell you how much you might get, how payments could be affected based on earnings or an increase in working hours and how your benefits might be impacted if you experience a change in circumstances.

There are online calculators you can use which will give a quick and easy indication of any help you are entitled to.

The three main online calculators you can use are:

• Turn2us benefits calculator
• Policy in Practice better off calculator
• entitledto benefits calculator

You can also access Turn2Us’ calculator via The Sun’s website.