Benefit Payment Days over Christmas

CHRISTMAS PAYMENTS - The Department of Work and Pensions has announced when Universal Credit and other benefits will be paid.

Money will be arriving earlier than expected.

Those in receipt of Attendance Allowance, the state pension, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit and Personal Independence Payment may also receive early Christmas payments.

You can find out the dates for this below.

Universal Credit dates over Christmas

These are paid every two weeks (employment support allowance, income support and jobseekers' allowance) or monthly (all other benefits including Universal Credit).

• Payment due: Wednesday, December 25. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Thursday, December 26. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Wednesday, January 1. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 31

Tax Credit payments over Christmas

If you usually receive payments on the following dates, this is when it'll come through instead:

• Payment due: Wednesday, December 25. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Thursday, December 26. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Wednesday, January 1. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 31

Child benefit payments over Christmas

If you usually receive payments on the following dates, here's when your money will arrive:

• Payment due: Wednesday, December 25. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Thursday, December 26. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Wednesday, January 1. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 31

What about the state pension, ESA, income support, Carer's Allowance and other benefits over Christmas?

When other payments should reach you

Attendance Allowance, the state pension, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit and Personal Independence Payments will vary too.

The ABC have run through when your payment is usually due versus when you'll be paid instead, below.

• Payment due: Wednesday, December 25. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Thursday, December 26. Payment sent: Tuesday December 24
• Payment due: Wednesday, January 1. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 31

If you don't get your benefits payment on the revised date, you should contact the DWP on the helplines listed below.

However, you should do this ON the Tuesday, as you won't be able to speak to benefits staff on the bank holiday itself.

Helpline numbers for Universal Credit are as follows:

Telephone: 0800 328 9344  (this replaces the old number 0345 600 0723)

Welsh language: 0800 012 1888

Textphone for those with hearing problems: 0800 328 1344

Lines are open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (closed on bank holidays).

All calls to the Universal Credit helplines are free.

Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Telephone: 0800 169 0310

Welsh language: 0800 328 1744

Textphone: 0800 169 0314

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