Bank Holiday Payment Dates for Benefits and Pensions

How each payment is affected

Universal Credit

Universal Credit is paid monthly on the same date. If that date is a weekend or bank holiday, you are paid on the working day before. (GOV.UK: how you're paid.)

State Pension and Pension Credit

State Pension is normally paid every four weeks, on a weekday decided by the last two digits of your National Insurance number. You might be paid earlier if your normal payment day is a bank holiday. (GOV.UK: when you're paid.)

PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, ESA and JSA

These follow the same general rule for benefits paid by DWP: a payment due on a bank holiday is usually made on the working day before.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is paid by HMRC and is the exception. HMRC publishes the exact date for each bank holiday, and a holiday that applies in only one nation can move the payment later rather than earlier. Always check HMRC's Child Benefit bank holiday table.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland

Benefits paid by Social Security Scotland, such as Scottish Child Payment and Adult Disability Payment, are usually paid earlier if they are due on a bank holiday. Scotland has its own bank holidays, including 2 January and St Andrew's Day, so the dates can differ from the rest of the UK. (mygov.scot: bank holiday payment dates.)

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland you will usually be paid on the last working day before the holiday. That includes the two bank holidays only Northern Ireland has: St Patrick's Day and 12 July. (nidirect: how benefits and pensions are paid.)

If payday falls on a bank holiday

Wages are different: no law says when an employer must pay if payday lands on a bank holiday. Most pay on the last working day before, because Bacs, the system used for most salaries, does not process payments on bank holidays. Check your contract or ask payroll.

Direct Debits due on a bank holiday are normally taken on the next working day instead.