Job Centre May Bank holiday opening hours explained

JOB Centre opening hours across the UK will change over the May bank holidays.

The month of May brings not just one but two extra days off for many workers in the form of bank holidays. 

The first May bank holiday falls on Monday, May 3 this year, while the second falls on Monday, May 31. 

Both Mondays will therefore not be standard working days so many businesses will be closed.

Job Centres and all Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) phonelines will also all be changing their operating hours over the national holidays.

Meanwhile, benefit payments may be affected by the extra days off too.

It comes after face-to-face appointments at Job Centres returned in England and Wales on April 12, and are set to make a comeback in Scotland on April 26.

The services were axed last year due to the pandemic, and assessments have taken place via phone and written forms since March 2020.

Here’s everything you need to know about Job Centre and phone line opening times over the bank holiday weekends:

Job Centre opening times over the first May bank holiday

Job Centres are usually open from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm although hours can vary from branch to branch. 

All Job Centres will be closed on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2 as normal.

But the DWP has confirmed that branches will also be closed on Monday, May 3 for the bank holiday. 

They will then reopen as normal on Tuesday, May 4. 

Opening times for phone lines over the first May bank holiday

All DWP phone lines will be closed on Monday, May 3.

This includes the crisis loan telephone lines, which are usually open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm on Monday to Friday. 

It also includes contact centres, which are usually open from 8am to 6pm on Monday to Friday. 

They will then reopen as normal from Tuesday, May 4.

Job Centre opening times over the second May bank holiday

The same principles will apply for the second May bank holiday on Monday, May 30. 

The DWP has announced that all Jobcentres will also be closed on the second bank holiday Monday.

They will then reopen on Tuesday, June 1 as normal. 

Opening times for phone lines over the second May bank holiday

All DWP phone lines will also shut for Monday, May 30.

They will then reopen as normal on Tuesday, June 1.

How will the bank holidays affect benefit payments?

The DWP has confirmed that tax credit payment dates will change over the May bank holidays.

Households who would expect to be paid tax credits on Monday, May 3, will instead be paid on the last working day before the bank holiday.

This means the payments will arrive in people’s bank accounts on Friday, April 30.

Meanwhile, households who would expect to be paid tax credits on Monday, May 31, will instead be paid on Friday, May, 28.

The same applies to Universal Credit which is paid to people on the same day every month.

If your UC payment date usually falls on the 3rd or 30th of the month, you will be paid earlier due to it falling on a bank holiday Monday.

For those who would receive their Monday on Monday, May 3, you will be paid on Friday, April 30 this year.

Meanwhile, those who expect their money on Monday, May 31st will receive their payment on Friday, May 28. 

All other benefit payments like PIP and ESA as well as state pension payments are also expected to follow the same changes.

In other news, More than half a million people who receive Universal Credit or other benefits have had their payments slashed in a tax raid.

Meanwhile, Brits on Universal Credit can now get paid for up to 16 weeks while they re-train.

Elsewhere, energy provider E.on has been ordered to pay over £682,000 to 1.6million customers after it took direct debit payments early.