Universal Credit: How the leap year could affect allowances and payments during February 2024

2024 is a leap year, which means February will have its extra 29th day and people everywhere will be wondering about how this will affect all sorts of payment dates.

So we’ve taken a look at how the leap year’s extra day could affect Universal Credit allowances and payment dates.

When will Universal Credit be paid this February?

If you normally receive your Universal Credit payment on the 30 or 31 of the month, the payment will come through earlier in the month of February. This year, it will be paid on February 29 - the last working day of the month.

If February 28 is your payment date, the payment will still come through on this day.

Will the Universal Credit allowance be more this February?

The Department for Work and Pensions says that the standard monthly allowance for Universal Credit stays the same every month, irrespective of how many days there are in the month.

Due to February 2024 being a longer month, and with the standard monthly allowance remaining the same, households may need their Universal Credit payment to stretch further than what they would normally see in February.

How much does Universal Credit work out to per day this February?

The standard allowance for a single person, who is under 25 is £292.11. This would give you £10.07 a day this February.

The standard allowance for a single person, who is over 25 is £368.74. This works out to £12.71 a day.

For couples who are under 25, the standard allowance is £458.51, meaning you would have £15.81 a day.

For couples where either person is over 25, the standard allowance is £578.82, giving you £19.95 a day.

You can get extra amounts if you have children, a disability or receive help with housing costs.