£400 DWP payments entering bank accounts earlier than expected in December

A number of DWP and HMRC benefits are set to enter bank accounts earlier than expected next month. Millions of recipients could be paid early in December due to the way the bank holidays fall.

Both Christmas Day and Boxing Day are considered bank holidays, which is not when benefits are usually paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC. If you are due money on those dates, that means you'll likely be paid earlier than usual next month, reports MirrorOnline.

Benefit claimants will likely be paid by HMRC and the DWP on the final working day before Christmas. This year, Christmas Eve - which is December 24 - will fall on Tuesday. Among them includes Universal Credit, worth £393.45 - almost £400 - if you're single and over 25.

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As a result, some claimants could be receiving their December Universal Credit payment one or two days earlier than expected. Some Tax Credit payments will be affected on December 27. However, this is only in Northern Ireland.

This isn't the only date change happening this month as there are more bank holidays around the New Year too. New Year's Day on January 1 - which falls on a Wednesday this year - is also classed as a bank holiday. If you are due for a benefit payment on January 1, then you will receive this payment a day earlier on December 31.

If you're due to be paid on a different day, you won't need to do anything - the money will be paid into your account as normal. The amount you get will also remain the same, and it will also be paid into the same account in which you normally receive your benefit payment.

It's also very important to note that although receiving your benefits earlier may sound like a good thing, it does mean that you need to make your money last longer, even if it is just by one day.

Full list of benefits being paid early next month

• Attendance allowance
• Carer's allowance
• Disability living allowance
• Income support
• Jobseekers allowance
• Pension credit
• Personal independence payments (PIP)
• State pension
• Universal Credit
• Child benefit (paid by HMRC)
• Tax credits (paid by HMRC)