Cost of living: Full list of 11 benefits that could be paid early in August 2023 including Universal Credit

Benefit claimants may find that they get paid early next month due to the August bank holiday. The summer bank holiday falls on Monday, August 28 for people living in England and Wales - and slightly earlier on Monday, August 7 if you live in Scotland.

Claimants who are due to receive a payment on these dates will likely receive their money earlier than normal. This is because benefits are not usually processed on bank holidays.

While this may seem like a good thing, it means you will need to make your benefits last longer than normal because you’ll have to wait longer until your next pay day. Benefits are paid the previous working day in most cases.

So your money would be paid on Friday, August 25 in England and Wales, and Friday, August 4, in Scotland. The only way to be absolutely sure of when you’ll get paid is to check with your local benefit office.

You won’t need to do anything if your payment due date falls on a different day. Claimants will still be paid the same amount.

The summer bank holiday in August marks the last bank holiday of the year before Christmas and the New Year.

How often you get paid your benefit depends on what type you claim. For example, Universal Credits get paid on the same day each month.

Child Benefit is typically paid every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday and Tax Credits every four weeks or weekly.

Full list of benefits that could be paid early due to August bank holiday

Check your payment date if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Pension Credit
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• State pension
• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Child Benefit
• Guardian’s Allowance

What to do if you don’t paid

If you’re expecting a payment and it doesn’t arrive, you should contact the relevant helpline which can be found on the Gov.uk website. Jobcentres and phone lines will be closed on all three bank holidays, however, so you’ll need to call after these days.