Housing benefits payments schedule
The dates through the year when your benefit will be paid.
2026 to 2027
| Run date | Payment schedule | Period from | Period to |
|---|
|
18.03.26 |
2 in advance |
23.03.26 |
05.04.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
23.02.26 |
22.03.26 |
|
|
25.03.26 |
2 in arrears |
16.03.26 |
29.03.26 |
|
01.04.26 |
2 in advance |
06.04.26 |
19.04.26 |
|
08.04.26 |
2 in arrears |
30.03.26 |
12.04.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
16.03.26 |
12.04.26 |
|
|
15.04.26 |
2 in advance |
20.04.26 |
03.05.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
23.03.26 |
19.04.26 |
|
|
22.04.26 |
2 in arrears |
13.04.26 |
26.04.26 |
|
29.04.26 |
2 in advance |
04.05.26 |
17.05.26 |
|
06.05.26 |
2 in arrears |
27.04.26 |
10.05.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
13.04.26 |
10.05.26 |
|
|
13.05.26 |
2 in advance |
18.05.26 |
31.05.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
20.04.26 |
17.05.26 |
|
|
20.05.26 |
2 in arrears |
11.05.26 |
24.05.26 |
|
27.05.26 |
2 in advance |
01.06.26 |
15.06.26 |
|
03.06.26 |
2 in arrears |
25.05.26 |
07.06.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
13.05.26 |
07.06.26 |
|
|
10.06.26 |
2 in advance |
15.06.26 |
28.06.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
18.05.26 |
14.06.26 |
|
|
17.06.26 |
2 in arrears |
08.06.26 |
21.06.26 |
|
25.06.26 |
2 in advance |
29.06.26 |
12.07.26 |
|
01.07.26 |
2 in arrears |
22.06.26 |
05.07.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
08.06.26 |
05.07.26 |
|
|
08.07.26 |
2 in advance |
13.07.26 |
26.07.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
15.06.26 |
12.07.26 |
|
|
15.07.26 |
2 in arrears |
06.07.26 |
19.07.26 |
|
23.07.26 |
2 in advance |
27.07.26 |
09.08.26 |
|
29.07.26 |
2 in arrears |
20.07.26 |
02.08.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
06.07.26 |
02.08.26 |
|
|
05.08.26 |
2 in advance |
10.08.26 |
23.08.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
13.07.26 |
09.08.26 |
|
|
12.08.26 |
2 in arrears |
03.08.26 |
16.08.26 |
|
19.08.26 |
2 in advance |
24.08.26 |
06.09.26 |
|
26.08.26 |
2 in arrears |
17.08.26 |
30.08.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
03.08.26 |
30.08.26 |
|
|
02.09.26 |
2 in advance |
07.09.26 |
20.09.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
10.08.26 |
06.09.26 |
|
|
09.09.26 |
2 in arrears |
31.08.26 |
13.09.26 |
|
16.09.26 |
2 in advance |
21.09.26 |
04.10.26 |
|
23.09.26 |
2 in arrears |
14.09.26 |
27.09.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
31.08.26 |
27.09.26 |
|
|
30.09.26 |
2 in advance |
05.10.26 |
18.10.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
07.09.26 |
04.10.26 |
|
|
07.10.26 |
2 in arrears |
28.09.26 |
11.10.26 |
|
14.10.26 |
2 in advance |
19.10.26 |
01.11.26 |
|
21.10.26 |
2 in arrears |
12.10.26 |
25.10.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
28.09.26 |
25.10.26 |
|
|
28.10.26 |
2 in advance |
02.11.26 |
15.11.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
06.10.26 |
01.11.26 |
|
|
04.11.26 |
2 in arrears |
26.10.26 |
08.11.26 |
|
11.11.26 |
2 in advance |
17.11.26 |
29.11.26 |
|
18.11.26 |
2 in arrears |
09.11.26 |
22.11.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
27.10.26 |
22.11.26 |
|
|
25.11.26 |
2 in advance |
30.11.26 |
13.12.26 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
02.11.26 |
29.11.26 |
|
|
02.12.26 |
2 in arrears |
23.11.26 |
06.12.26 |
|
09.12.26 |
2 in advance |
14.12.26 |
27.12.26 |
|
16.12.26 |
2 in arrears |
07.12.26 |
20.12.26 |
|
4 in arrears |
23.11.26 |
20.12.26 |
|
|
23.12.26 |
2 in advance |
28.12.26 |
10.01.27 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
30.11.26 |
27.12.26 |
|
|
30.12.26 |
2 in arrears |
21.12.26 |
03.01.27 |
|
06.01.27 |
2 in advance |
11.01.27 |
24.01.27 |
|
13.01.27 |
2 in arrears |
04.01.27 |
17.01.27 |
|
4 in arrears |
21.12.27 |
17.01.27 |
|
|
20.01.27 |
2 in advance |
26.01.27 |
08.02.27 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
28.12.26 |
24.01.27 |
|
|
27.01.27 |
2 in arrears |
19.01.27 |
31.01.27 |
|
03.02.27 |
2 in advance |
08.02.27 |
21.02.27 |
|
10.02.27 |
2 in arrears |
01.02.27 |
14.02.27 |
|
4 in arrears |
18.01.27 |
14.02.27 |
|
|
17.02.27 |
2 in advance |
22.02.27 |
07.03.27 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
26.01.27 |
21.02.27 |
|
|
24.02.27 |
2 in arrears |
15.02.27 |
28.02.27 |
|
03.03.27 |
2 in advance |
08.03.27 |
21.03.27 |
|
10.03.27 |
2 in arrears |
01.03.27 |
14.03.27 |
|
4 in arrears |
15.02.27 |
14.03.27 |
|
|
17.03.27 |
2 in advance |
22.03.27 |
04.04.27 |
|
LSVT 4 in arrears |
22.02.27 |
21.03.27 |
|
|
24.03.27 |
2 in arrears |
15.03.27 |
28.03.27 |
Housing benefit payment is made in arrears
Once your Housing Benefit has been assessed you will receive your money either every two weeks in arrears or four weeks in arrears.
This means that you will have to have had an active benefit claim for two or four weeks before you receive any money. Housing Benefit Payments cannot be paid in advance.
Payments made two weeks in arrears - private
If you are a private tenant (renting from a letting agent or direct from the owner) you will receive benefit payments every two weeks in arrears. Benefit payments are generally made directly to you via your nominated bank or building society account.
Your Landlord or his Agent has the right to ask for payments to go directly to themselves if you fall more than eight weeks in arrears. If they can prove you have these arrears we have a legal duty to pay them directly.
Payments made four weeks in arrears - housing association
If you are renting your home from a housing association or social landlord, usually we will pay them directly every four weeks in arrears.
You can ask for payments to go directly to yourself (every two weeks in arrears) but most Housing Associations prefer to have payments go directly to them.
Vulnerable claimants in private accommodation
If you or your representative feels you are vulnerable, benefit can be paid to the landlord. Any request for payments to be made to the landlord will need to be supported by a third party like a social worker or a GP.
If you are on Universal Credit
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) only pay up to 52 weeks of rent per year and they work out the weekly rent for those on Universal Credit by taking the total yearly amount and dividing it by 52 weeks. For example, £5,200 per year divided by 52 weeks is £100.00 per week rent.
Unfortunately, the DWP have confirmed that they will not pay for the 53rd week. This means you will need to pay for the additional week yourself.
To reduce the impact, we recommend you pay a little extra each week over the year. For example, if you pay £100 a week for your rent, you could divide this by 53 weeks and pay an extra £1.89 a week for 53 weeks.
If you are not happy about Universal Credit not covering the extra week
Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do as you will still be responsible and liable as the tenant to pay the extra week of rent that the Department for Work and Pensions have said Universal Credit won’t cover. If you don’t pay, you will end up in arrears.