DWP benefits being paid early next month before Christmas 2024 including Universal Credit

A variety of benefit claimants will receive their welfare payments early next month.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) generally issue some payments early around hoidays. This is often due to banks not operating on certain holidays, thus forcing benefit payments to be paid on a separate day if they were due to land on the holiday.

People who claim benefits such as Universal Credit and tax credits often receive payments on set dates, if that date happens to fall on a bank holiday then they will instead be paid at the earliest available working day. Payments affected next month will include those due to land 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 to land on January 1 (New Year's Day), you will instead be paid on Tuesday, December 31.

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 important to note that even though your payment date may change in December and January, you should still be paid the amount you would have received if it was otherwise paid on a regular day. If you're next payment is due to land on a date that isn't a bank holiday, then you will be paid on that date.

This means that you're money may have to last a number of days than it usually would. Full details on how benefit payments are usually paid can be found on gov.uk here.