Advice for tenants on the 53 week financial year
You may need to plan to cover an extra week's rent this financial year (1 April 2024 to 6 April 2025).
This financial year there will be 53 Mondays, instead of the usual 52, the last Monday will be on 31 March 2025.
Why this happens
There are normally 365 days in a year but in a leap year there 366. This breaks down to 52 weeks in a year plus 1 day normally, or 52 weeks plus 2 days in a leap year.
Every five or six years these extra days add an extra week on to the year.
If you get Universal Credit
Universal Credit (UC) will not cover this extra week of rent.
Tenants will need to cover this extra week of rent payment themselves.
We suggest you spread this over the year in monthly payments.
To work out how much extra you need to pay a week:
- multiply your current weekly rent charge by 53 weeks
- then divide it by 12 months
You then pay the difference between this amount and the amount you receive from Universal Credit.
If you get Housing Benefit
If your Housing Benefit pays your rent in full this will cover the extra week. You do not need to do anything.
If your Housing Benefit covers part of your rent, and you pay your rent monthly, you need to multiply the net weekly rent charge by 53 weeks and divide by 12 months.
If you pay by direct debit
If you pay your council rent by direct debit you do not have to do anything.
We will automatically adjust your payments to cover the extra week and let you know how much they will be.
If you pay monthly
You will need to pay rent for 53 weeks between Monday 1 April 2024 and Sunday 6 April 2025.
We suggest you spread the extra week's rent over the year.
To work out how much extra you need to pay a week:
- multiply your current weekly rent charge by 53 weeks
- then divide it by 12 months
This will give you your new monthly payment.
If you pay your rent by bank standing order you will need to contact your bank to update them with the new amount.
If you pay four weekly
You will need to pay rent for 53 weeks between Monday 1 April 2024 and Sunday 6 April 2025.
We suggest you spread the extra week's rent over the year.
To work out how much extra you need to pay:
- multiply your current weekly rent charge by 53 weeks
- then divide it by 13
This will give you your new four weekly rent payment.
What can I do if I'm not happy Universal Credit aren't covering the 53rd week?
Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do as you are liable as the tenant to pay the extra week of rent (which Universal Credit will not cover).
If you do not pay, you will end up in arrears.
We would encourage you to contact Universal Credit and write to your local MP, in the hopes the Department for Work and Pensions will cover the extra week the next time we have a 53 week financial year.
You may also be able to get some additional help through our Discretionary Housing Payment scheme.