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Universal Credit payments are to vary this weekend for claimants who are in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

And this is why.

The new benefit is paid on a set date every month in England, Scotland and Wales, and twice a month in Northern Ireland.

The date of your payment is fixed when you first apply for Universal Credit.

But if your pay date then falls on a weekend or bank holiday, it will be changed.

Monday, August 5, is a bank holiday in Scotland and across Ireland.

So anyone whose normal payment date is August 4 or 5 should instead get their money on the nearest previous date. We've detailed all the payment dates below.

Check your account to make sure it has gone in.

(Image: Richard Williams)

Bank holidays were once a huge issue for recipients of Universal Credit as early payments put into their account could end up being counted as two payments in one month.

The welfare system then paid people a "vastly reduced" amount in the following month.

But, following a High Court battle by four single mums whose payments had been cut in that way, it was ruled that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions had wrongly interpreted regulations.

It's still important to note when the pay dates are affected by bank holiday because, even though you will no longer be penalised for getting your cash earlier, you'll have to make your benefits last a bit longer.

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When you will be paid

(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Your payments are calculated from the day you first submit your claim.

The first payment is made seven days after the end of the first one-month assessment period, meaning a five-week wait when you initially apply for the benefit.

Payments are then made on the same date every month (or twice a month in Northern Ireland). But there is some variation when there is a bank holiday.

The Department for Work and Pensions told Birmingham Live: "If a payment date is on a bank holiday or weekend, customers will be paid on the last working day before the bank holiday or weekend."

Due date: Friday August 2, paid as normal on Friday August 2

Due date: Saturday August 3. Payment date is a day earlier on Friday August 2

Due date: Sunday August 4. Payment date is two days earlier on Friday August 2

Due date: August Holiday Monday August 5. Payment date is three days earlier on Friday August 2

Due date: Tuesday August 6, paid as normal on Tuesday August 6. Even though the previous day is a bank holiday with no DWP staff working, payments are automated and will still go into your account at their usual time on Tuesday.

This is what time you'll get paid

(Image: PIXABAY)

Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account.

Depending on your bank, the funds are available sometime after midnight on the day they are due, usually in the early hours.

According to ToughNickel , Yorkshire Bank is among the quickest. These are all the typical paying-in times for banks:

Clydesdale, Yorkshire - 11.30pm the night before to 12.30am

Lloyds - midnight to 1am

Bank of Scotland - midnight to 1.30am

Metro Bank - midnight to 2am

Barclays , Co-op- 1am to 2am

Natwest, RBS, Ulster Bank, Nationwide - 2am to 3am

Halifax - 3am to 4am

HSBC, Santander - 6am to 9am

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What to do if you don't receive your Universal Credit

if you don't get your payment, call the helplines we've listed below.

But note that you won't be able to speak to benefits staff on the Saturday or the Bank Holiday Monday.

Helpline numbers for Universal Credit are as follows:

Telephone: 0800 328 9344 (this replaces the old number 0345 600 0723)

Welsh language: 0800 012 1888

Textphone for those with hearing problems: 0800 328 1344

Call between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday (closed on bank holidays).

All calls to the Universal Credit helplines are free.

Since November 29, 2017, all Universal Credit telephone lines are freephone numbers.

The DWP says no-one will be charged when they need to call to get help with their Universal Credit claim.