Universal Credit and other benefits will be paid earlier than normal for some people next week due to the Christmas and New Year bank holidays.
The benefit payment dates which are affected by the changes are ones usually paid between December 26 to December 28, and January 2 and 3, 2023.
The idea of getting paid early may seem great, however, the early payment means there is a bigger gap between December's payday and your January pay check.
Due to this, people will need to manage and budget their spending as they will need to make the money stretch that little bit further through next month.
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC benefits could be affected by the upcoming bank holidays.
Christmas payment dates
This year, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day both fall on a weekend which means the Christmas Day bank holiday is pushed back slightly.
This year, the UK will have a bank holiday on Monday, December 26, and Tuesday, December 27. The Tuesday date is a replacement bank holiday for Christmas Day.
This means if your benefit payment is due on these dates, then it will be paid earlier on Friday, December 23 instead.
The DWP also confirmed other benefits outside of Universal Credit, such as those on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Attendance Allowance, who expect to receive their money on Wednesday 28 December, will see it paid the Friday before too.
If your Universal Credit payment is due on Wednesday 28, you will receive it this day as planned.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed if you’re expecting Tax Credit payments on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday or that week, you will also have them paid earlier on the Friday before Christmas.
Tax Credit claimants in England and Scotland who expect their payment on Thursday, December 29 will have their money paid a day earlier on Wednesday, December 28.
This does not include those who live in Wales.
New Year payment dates
New Year’s day falls on a Sunday which means the New Year’s Day bank holiday has been pushed back to Monday, January 2.
This means your expecting to receive your payment on Monday, January 2 you will get the money a little earlier on Friday, December 30.
If your payment is due on January 3, 2023, you will receive the money as normal on this date.
However, if you live in Scotland then you will get yours earlier on Friday 30, December.
If you expect to get your Tax Credit cash on January 2 or 3, you will have yours paid early on December 30.
For those in England and Northern Ireland, if you’re due money on Wednesday, January 4 you will be paid the day before instead.
With every change in payment date, the DWP and HMRC note that how much you gets will not change and it will be paid into the same bank or building society account that it normally is paid into.
If you don’t receive your benefit on the changed date, first check your award notice and bank account and if the payment date is correct then you should contact the relevant benefit office immediately.
This is because these helplines will be closed on bank holidays and you could end up having to wait a little longer for your payment to come in.
