THOUSANDS of Brits on 12 benefits including Universal Credit are being paid early next week.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) deposits money into some benefit recipients’ bank accounts early over the festive period.
Thousands on benefits will receive their benefits earlier than usual next weekGetty
If your payment is due on a bank holiday or a day on the weekend, it will be paid the first working day before this date.
That means if you are due to be paid on December 23, 24, 25 and 26 this year you will receive your payment on December 22 instead.
Meanwhile, if you are due to be paid on December 30, 31 or January 1 the cash will land in your account on December 29.
You could be affected if you claim any of the following benefits:
Attendance Allowance
Carer’s Allowance
Child Benefit
Disability Living Allowance
Income Support
Jobseekers Allowance
Personal Independence Payment
Tax credits (such as Working Tax Credit)
Universal Credit
The official guidance for benefits payments states: “Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account.
“If your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday you’ll usually be paid on the working day before.
“This may be different for tax credits and Child Benefit.”
Will the amount I receive change?
The amount you get paid should not change.
It will be the same as the previous month unless you have had a change of circumstances that has affected how much you are due.
Remember that if you do get paid early you will need to make that money last, as you will have to wait extra days until your next payment date.
If you are expecting a payment and it is not paid on time then make sure you double-check the date you are usually paid and contact your bank.
Should you need any further help you will need to contact the DWP.
You can also submit a complaint to the DWP over any unpaid benefits.
What other help can I get this winter?
Thousands of households are due up to £25 in free cash after cold weather payments were triggered in hundreds of postcodes.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) hands out the free cash to help support hard-up Brits during cold spells.
And eligible households get the cash paid directly into their bank accounts within 14 days.
The cold weather payments are made in locations where residents experience continuous below-zero weather.
Households can get £25 during each seven-day period of low temperatures from now until March 31.
Cold weather payments have been triggered in over 300 postcodes so far in November – meaning that thousands of households are owed cash.
Plus, millions are due up to £600 in winter fuel payments.
You should have received yours by January 26, 2024 at the latest.
If you haven’t got your payment by then, you need to call the office that pays your benefits.
Those details can be found in the letters they have sent you.
And if you’re found to be ineligible for the winter fuel payment but want to challenge that decision, there’s a government form for that, too.
Additional support is also offered by councils in the UK through the Household Support Fund.