How the Christmas season will affect your benefits payments

Friday 23rd Nov, 2018

We're brought together the key dates you should know about ahead of the festive season.

Although Christmas is a time of celebration, it also brings stress and worry to some families with the cost of gifts, food and day to day living. This can be even worse for families on low income or in receipt of benefits and not knowing when to expect payments.

If you are worried about when your payments will be received over the festive period, we’ve brought together the information from HMRC and the DWP.

Christmas Bank Holidays

Both Christmas Day and Boxing Day are Bank Holidays and fall on Tuesday and Wednesday. Any payments due on these days are expected to be paid on 24^th December 2018.

New Year Bank Holiday

New Year’s Day is a bank holiday and falls on a Tuesday which means that your Child Benefit due on this day is expected to be paid on the 24^th December.

Tax Credit Payments

Due                                                                                     Expected

25 December 2018	24 December
26 December 2018	24 December
27 December 2018	24 December
28 December 2018	27 December
1 January 2019	31 December

 

With Tax Credits, you can opt to be paid every 4 weeks or they can be weekly. Did you know that you can also keep on top of when your Tax Credits are due to be paid with the HMRC app, which can be installed on your phone or tablet. You can check up to seven weeks in advance so it’s really quite handy.

Universal Credit over Christmas and into 2019

Universal Credit is paid each month into your registered bank account. If a payment falls on a weekend day or a bank holiday (Christmas Day and Boxing Day are bank holidays in 2018) you can expect to receive payment the first working day before your usual payment date. For example, if your scheduled payment date is the 26th December 2018 you should be paid on Monday 24th December. Have a look below:

If you're due to be paid on 25th December, you will receive it on 24th December
If you're due to be paid on 26th December, you will receive it on 24th December
If you're due to be paid on 28th December, you will receive it on the 27th December
If you're due to be paid on 1st January, you will receive it on 29th December
If you're due to be paid on 2nd January, you will receive it on 29th December
If you're due to be paid on 3rd January, you will receive it on 29th December

Employment Support Allowance and Job Seekers Allowance payments

The payment schedule for ESA and JSA is normally every fortnight (two weeks). Where payment is due on a bank holiday, you should be paid on the closest working day before the bank holiday. If you are down to receive payment on 25, 26 or 27 of December, you should receive on Friday 22 December.  

Good to know….

• Usually, any benefits you are entitled to will be paid into your bank or building society. They might also be paid into your credit union account.
• If not outlined above, the date for your payment over Christmas and New Year remains unchanged and you should receive payment on your usual date.
• You should always contact the office who are responsible for making your payments to confirm your payment dates – our article is just a guide.
• If you don’t receive expected monies on time or on your new scheduled day, get in touch with the office who pays your benefit not your Bank or Credit Union.

 

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