ALL CHANGE
Exact date benefits are paid EARLY this week including Universal Credit and state pension
Anyone on benefits will see a key change within days
MILLIONS of households across the UK will see a change to their Universal Credit and other benefit payments this week.
This year's Easter bank holidays will fall across both March and April, so many will see a shift in their payment dates.
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Easter lands on Sunday, March 31, and Easter Monday will be April 1 with Good Friday landing on March 29.
HMRC and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) do not pay benefits on bank Holidays so if you are due to be paid on any of these days you will be paid early.
Anyone who is due to be paid on Friday, March 29 or Monday, April 1 will receive their payment early on Thursday, March 28.
Here is a full list of benefits that will be affected by the Bank Holiday and how often they are paid:
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- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Benefit
- Disability Living Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension
- Tax credits
- Universal Credit
Will my benefit payment amount change?
The amount you get paid this month shouldn’t change, it will be the same as in previous months unless your circumstances have changed.
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If you get paid early you'll have extra days to wait till your next payment so you should factor that into your monthly budgeting.
There is one change anyone benefits will see this month regardless of their payment dates.
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Benefits will increase next month by 6.7% but some will go up even more.
For example, if you are a single person over the age of 25, your universal credit payment will increase from £368.74 to £393.45 per month.
The State Pension will be increased by 8.5% in April, according to the rules of the triple lock.
The full rate of the new state pension will go up from £203.85 a week to £221.20.
For the basic part of the old state pension, the rate will increase from £156.20 to £169.50.
You can find the full list of planned increases to all benefits here.
If you don't receive your payment on time, double-check the date you normally get paid and reach out to your bank.
Your next step should be to contact the DWP, can also submit a complaint to the DWP over any unpaid benefits.
Universal Credit
Here's everything to know about Universal Credit:
- What is Universal Credit? Everything you need to know including how to apply
- Universal Credit calculator: How much can I claim and how do I apply?
- Universal Credit login: How do I sign in to my online account?
- How much can I earn before Universal Credit is reduced and do I get a work allowance?
- What is a Universal Credit advance payment? How to apply and pay it back
- Are Universal Credit payments going up and how much more will I get?
- How to claim Universal Credit if you’re self-employed
- How many hours can I work on Universal Credit and will my payment be reduced?
- What is a Universal Credit budgeting advance and how much could I get?
- What is the Universal Credit housing element and how much of your rent does it pay?
What other support is available?
Councils in England are still rolling out support through the Household Support Fund which is worth £842million.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt also extended the Household Support Fund (HSF) for the fifth time - adding a further £500million to the pot.
What you are entitled to will vary depending on where you live as each local authority sets specific eligibility criteria.
Three million people in total qualify for the Warm Home Discount this winter and most receive the £150 payment automatically.
But some have to apply by the March 31 deadline.
Struggling households can get free cash grants to help with the cost of living through the Turn2us Grants Search tool.
It contains a database of around 1,400 grants and support schemes and simplifies the process of checking if you are eligible for one.
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How to check what benefits you could be entitled to
The quickest way to see what benefits you may be able to claim is to use one of the three benefit calculators recommended by Gov.uk.
Each one is free to use. They are:
Before using the tools, make sure you have key financial information to hand, such as bank and savings statements, and information on pensions and existing benefits.
If you live with a partner or family, get their basic financial information together too as this could affect your claim.
For each of these, you’ll be asked information about your circumstances, such as your current employment and income.
You’ll also need to give information about yourself, including your age and who you live with.
You can then use the contact information on to get the ball rolling and apply for what you're owed.
Of course, the tools only provide an indicator of what benefits you can claim - and usually don't include means tested benefits, so you may be entitled to even more.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
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