Christmas Day falls on a Sunday this year which means Boxing Day is on a Monday, however, the bank holiday status for that date has been moved to Tuesday, December 27. This means that benefits and payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) which are due on those dates will be made earlier.
Payments affected by the seasonal bank holidays will arrive on Friday, December 23 and as the cost of living crisis continues to bite into household budgets it’s important to know exactly what money you have coming in and when - especially over the festive period when government offices and phone lines are closed.
Both DWP and HMRC have confirmed changes to payment dates over Christmas and New Year for State Pension and benefits including Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance, Child Benefit and Tax Credits. Below are all the changes to add to your December diary.
Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP said: “Our benefit system offers a vital safety net to millions of people and will continue to provide essential support over the festive period.
“We are bringing forward payment dates to ensure customers have their benefits in advance, taking account of the upcoming bank holidays."
DWP payment dates over Christmas and New Year
DWP benefit payments affected include:
- Universal Credit
- State Pension
- Pension Credit
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Employment Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
Christmas payment date changes
- All payments due on Monday, December 26 will be made on Friday, December 23
- All payments due on Tuesday, December 27 will be made on Friday, December 23
- Universal Credit payments due on Wednesday, December 28 will be paid as normal
- All other DWP payments due on Wednesday, December 28 will be made on Friday, December 23
New Year payment date changes
- All payments due on Monday, January 2 will be made on Friday, December 30
- All payments due on Tuesday, January 3 will be made as normal except in Scotland where they will arrive on Friday, December 30
Child Benefit payment dates over Christmas
These payment date changes affect people receiving Child Benefit or Guardian's Allowance.
Christmas
- Payments due on Monday, December 26 will be made on Friday, December 23
- Payments due on Tuesday, December 27 will be made on Friday, December 23
New Year
- Payments due on Monday, January 2 will be made on Friday, December 30
Child Benefit payments due to be made on Tuesday, January 3rd will go ahead as planned. However, for some people, the payments may be delayed due to the bank holiday in Scotland.
Advice on GOV.UK states: "HMRC will issue your payment on the normal date, but your bank may not process it straight away.
"Check with your bank for the date you’ll get your payment."
Tax Credit payment dates over Christmas and New Year
These payment date changes affect people receiving Working Tax Credits or Child Tax Credits.
Christmas
- Payments due on Monday, December 26 will be made on Friday, December 23
- Payments due on Tuesday, December 27 will be made on Friday, December 23
- Payments due on Wednesday, December 28 will be made on Friday, December 23
- Payments due on Thursday, December 29 will be made on Wednesday, December 28 (Scotland and England only)
New Year
- Payments due on Monday, January 2 will be made on Friday, December 30
- Payments due on Tuesday, January 3 will be made on Friday, December 30
- Payments due on Wednesday, January 4 will be made on Tuesday, January 3 (England and Northern Ireland only)
HMRC advises that if your Tax Credits payment is late, you should check the payment date on your award notice and contact your bank before calling them - more details here.
To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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