Households claiming benefits have been advised they will be paid earlier than expected if their payment was due this Wednesday. Benefits are usually paid earlier than normal if payment dates falls on a bank holiday.
As Wednesday is January 1, which is New Year’s Day, this is a public bank holiday. That means households who were expecting to be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can expect to receive their cash today on Tuesday, December 31, which is a day early.
Over the Christmas period, the DWP and HMRC shuffle payments around because of the festive bank holidays. Benefits that are likely to be paid early including Universal Credit.
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If you’re expecting a benefit payment that isn’t Universal Credit on Thursday, January 2, then you should be paid on Tuesday, December 31, as well. Those residing in Scotland who are due payments for all legacy benefits on January 2 will also be paid today, reports MirrorOnline.
Benefits affected by the New Year bank holiday:
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Income support
- Jobseekers allowance
- Pension credit
- Personal independence payments (PIP)
- State pension
- Universal Credit
- Tax credits (paid by HMRC)
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.
If your money does not arrive in your account on the new payment date, you will need to contact the department that pays your benefit as soon as possible. This is because the DWP/HMRC support offices are closed over bank holidays. You can find the relevant support numbers on the government’s official website. You can reach its Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.