Next month, a range of benefit claimants will receive their welfare payments early. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) typically issue some payments early around holidays due to banks not operating on certain days.
This forces benefit payments that were due to land on the holiday to be paid on an alternative day. Claimants of benefits such as Universal Credit and tax credits, which are often paid on set dates, will instead receive their payment on the earliest available working day if it falls on a bank holiday.
Payments affected next month include those due on December 25, 26, and 27. If your benefit or tax credit payment is due on one of these days, you will instead be paid on Tuesday, December 24.
Meanwhile, if your payment is due on January 1 (New Year’s Day), you will instead be paid on Tuesday, December 31. The following benefits will be paid early if they fall on a holiday in December and January.
Which benefits will be affected
The following benefits will be paid early if they land on a holiday in December and January;
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Child benefit
- Disability living allowance
- Income support
- Jobseekers allowance
- Pension credit
- Personal independence payments (PIP)
- State pension
- Tax credits
- Universal Credit
It is crucial to remember that even if your payment date shifts in December and January, you should still receive the same amount as if it were paid on a regular day. If your next payment is scheduled for a non-bank holiday, then you will be paid on that date.
This could mean that your money may have to stretch further than usual. Comprehensive information on how benefit payments are typically made can be found on gov.uk here.
