State Pension and Universal Credit hit with DWP change in May | Personal Finance | Finance
State Pension and Universal Credit claimants may be hit by a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payment change in May due to two bank holidays.
Benefits payments can be disrupted from month to month due to bank holidays, meaning some claimants have to make their cash last a little longer than normal before their next payment arrives. As two bank holidays bookend the month of May, some people claiming the State Pension and Universal Credit can expect to be paid three days earlier than usual next month.
When a payment date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday, the DWP normally sends payments on the earliest working day before instead.
The May bank holidays fall at the beginning and end of the month, on Monday, May 4, and Monday, May 25, so if your usual payment fall on either of these days, you will instead be paid by the DWP on the following dates:
- If your payment is due on Monday, May 4, you’ll instead be paid on Friday, May 1
- If your payment is due on Monday, May 25, you’ll instead be paid on Friday, May 1
Pensioners can determine their usual State Pension payment day by looking for the two-digit code at the end of their National Insurance number, as this specifies the date on which payments are normally issued. This is how National Insurance numbers correspond to payment days:
- 00 to 19 – paid on Monday
- 20 to 39 – paid on Tuesday
- 40 to 59 – paid on Wednesday
- 60 to 79 – paid on Thursday
- 80 to 99 – paid on Friday
So if your National Insurance number ends in 00 to 19, it means your usual payment date falls on a Monday, meaning it may coincide with the May bank holidays. As such, payments will be issued on the earliest working day before which will be Friday, May 1.
The DWP said: “You’ll be asked when you want to start getting your State Pension when you claim. Your first payment will be no later than 5 weeks after the date you choose. You’ll get a full payment every 4 weeks after that.
“You might get part of a payment before your first full payment. The letter confirming your State Pension payment will tell you what to expect.
“The day your pension is paid depends on your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday.”
If your State Pension or Universal Credit payment date is changing this month you don’t need to do anything as your money will be paid straight into your usual bank, building society or credit union account.
The DWP said: “Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account. If your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday you’ll usually be paid on the working day before.”
