Thousands to be paid early for benefits including Universal Credit this week – are you affected?
THOUSANDS of people will get their benefits early this week, so check if you’re affected.
Bank holidays can change when the cash hits your bank account.
Just before Christmas, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed early payments will be made for 12 benefits.
This is because we’ve had an extra Bank Holiday already this festive period (December 27) and we’ll get one over New Year too – 2 January.
Christmas Day fell on a Sunday this year followed by Boxing Day on a Monday and then a bank holiday on December 27.
So anyone who is usually paid on the 25, 26 or 27 of the month would have been paid earlier.
And here’s when you’ll get paid over the New Year.
What list of benefits will be paid early this week due to the New Year’s Bank Holiday?
If you receive one of the following benefits, then you’ll most likely be paid earlier this week.
Benefits are:
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Benefit
- Disability Living Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment
- State Pension
- Tax Credits (such as Working Tax Credit)
- Universal Credit
When will I be paid instead?
Not everyone will get their benefit payments early – it depends on the date you usually get paid.
If you usually get paid on the second, you’ll receive your payment on December 30, 2022, as January 2, 2023 is a bank holiday.
Universal Credit and benefits payments due on January 3 will receive them on time unless you live in Scotland where you’ll get them on December 30.
Those who receive Tax Credit on the 3rd of each month will receive their January payment on December 30.
Tax Credit claimants in England and Northern Ireland who are due payments on January 4 will get them a day early.
Will my benefit payment amount change?
The amount you get paid shouldn’t change.
It will be the same as previous months, unless you’ve had a change of circumstances that affects how much you get at the same time.
You don’t need to do anything if your usual date for getting the state pension falls on a bank holiday.
Don’t forget that if you get paid early then you’ll have to make the money you get go further as you’ll have extra days to wait until your next payment date.
Make sure you factor this into your budget.
If your money is not paid on time, then you should double check the date you get paid normally and contact your bank.
Failing that, you should contact the DWP.
You can also submit a complaint to the DWP over any unpaid benefits.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk