Those receiving benefit payments will see the money in their accounts early due to the New Year bank holiday. Payments were also made earlier last week due to the Christmas bank holidays, according to the Department for Work and Pensions.
The majority of benefit payments including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and State Pension are paid on a specific weekday either every two or four weeks. As Christmas Day and Boxing Day bank holidays fell on December 27 and 28 this year, claimants will have noticed that the money arrived earlier in their accounts on December 23.
It’s a similar situation with New Year as it falls on a Sunday this year, with a substitute bank holiday on Monday January 2. According to the government website, any payments due on this date, including Universal Credit, will be paid early on Friday, December 30 instead, Chronicle Live reports.
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Normal payment schedules will resume on Tuesday, January 3, with the exception of Tax Credits. Here's the full list of benefits affected over the New Year period:
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Attendance Allowance
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Carer's Allowance
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Child Benefit
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Disability Living Allowance
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Employment and Support Allowance
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Income Support
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Jobseeker's Allowance
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Pension Credit
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Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
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State Pension
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Tax Credits (such as Working Tax Credit)
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Universal Credit
Universal Credit claimants should also be aware that if they are due a payment on Wednesday December 28, they will still receive it on this date rather than having had it land in their bank account early on December 23 as with other benefits. Any Universal Credit payments due on Boxing Day or December 27 should have been paid in on December 23.
When it comes to Tax Credits, if you are due to receive your payments on Tuesday, January 3, you will also see your money arrive early on Friday, December 30. If your Tax Credits are due to arrive on Wednesday, January 4, they will instead be paid on Tuesday, January 3.
If the money hasn't arrived in your account, you should call the helplines for advice. For State Pension, call the Pension Service on 0800 731 7898 (open 8am to 5pm on December 23). The service will be closed on December 26 and 27, and open on December 28 from 8am to 5pm for calls about missing payments only.
For Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), call 0800 169 0310 (open 8am to 4pm on December 23). Offices are closed until Thursday, but helplines reopen on December 28 until 4pm for missing or urgent payments only.
For PIP, call 0800 121 4433, and for Disability Living Allowance, call 0800 121 4600 if you were born after April 8, 1948, and 0800 731 0122 if you were born on or before that date. Helplines are closed on December 26 and 27, and open on December 28 for enquiries about missing or urgent payments only.
For Carer's Allowance, call 0800 731 0297 and for Attendance Allowance call 0800 731 0122. These helplines will be closed December 26, 27 and 28.
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