Easter 2025 brings two bank holidays—Good Friday on 18 April and Easter Monday on 21 April—which will affect the payment dates for benefits and state pensions administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Offices, banks, and building societies will be closed on these days, prompting adjustments to ensure claimants receive their money before the holiday.
According to the DWP and HMRC, any benefit payments due on 18 or 21 April will be brought forward to Thursday 17 April. This includes Universal Credit, child benefit, tax credits, and other DWP benefits. Payments scheduled for other dates remain unaffected, and the amount paid will be the same, though the earlier payment means the money may need to last a day or two longer.
The standard rule is that when a payment date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, claimants are paid on the last working day before. For Easter, payments due between Friday 18 April and Monday 21 April will be made on Thursday 17 April. This also applies to Northern Ireland, where the Department for Communities administers benefits.
State pension payments, which are made every four weeks based on the last two digits of a claimant’s National Insurance number, will also be affected. Those normally paid on a Monday or Friday will receive their pension on Thursday 17 April instead.
If a payment does not arrive as expected, the DWP advises claimants to check their award notice and bank account. If the date is correct but the money is missing, they should contact the appropriate helpline via the government website. Pension payment issues can be reported through the DWP helpline.
