53 week rent year: what you need to know

At Trivallis, we charge you your rent on a weekly basis. Every few years, the rent year will change from 52 weeks to 53 weeks to keep in line with the calendar year.

This year (2024-2025) is a 53 week year. This means from 01 April 2024, you will need to pay for 53 weeks rather than 52 weeks.

How will this affect me?

If you are clearing your rent account every week, then this won’t be a problem.

If you pay your rent every month (by calculating your weekly rent times 52 weeks and divided by 12 months) then you’ll be a day short every year (two days short in a leap year) and will have to make up the extra.

If it sounds a little bit confusing, here are some frequently asked questions that should help to answer any questions you might have.

Please reach out to us if you need support with your finances, our Money Advice Team are here for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

I claim Universal Credit. How is this worked out?

If you are on Universal Credit, this is assessed and paid every month. Universal Credit is calculated on a 52-week basis but only pays 364 days in a year, so is always a day short (or two if there is a leap year.)

Why is this?

This is because when the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works out your monthly rent, it multiplies a week’s rent by 52 (weeks of the year) times by 7 (days a week) which works out at 364. It then divides this by 12 (months).

This would be fine if there were exactly 52 weeks rent in a year – but there aren’t. There’s always an extra day in the year, or two in a leap year, which is the case in 2024.

If you don’t pay that extra day yourself, this then can ‘catch up’ with you once every 5 or 6 years – e.g whenever there are 53 Mondays in a financial year. Unfortunately, 2024/25 is one of those years.

The DWP has said it won’t pay any extra Universal Credit to cover this. The only way to avoid falling into arrears is by paying a little extra each week to ensure your rent is covered.

What if I pay by monthly Direct Debit?

If you pay by Direct Debit you don’t need to do anything. We will calculate this for you and automatically adjust your payments accordingly.

What if I pay monthly by card?

If you pay by card each month, you will need to make an adjustment to your monthly payments yourself. To calculate how much rent you should be paying each month, multiply your weekly rent amount by 53 and then divide it by 12.

For example, if your rent is £100 per week you would use the following calculation: £100 x 53 ÷ 12 = £441.66

What if I pay weekly?

There is no change. You will pay your new weekly rent from 01 April in advance every Monday.

What if I claim Housing Benefit?

If you are in receipt of housing benefit you don’t need to do anything, as this will be covered.

Where do I go if I need help with this?

If you think you may struggle with this, please speak to a member of our Money Advice Team.

The team will be able to provide you with budgeting support or other financial advice. Get in touch by calling the team on 01443 494560 or emailing MAT@trivallis.co.uk