Millions of people receiving State Pension, Universal Credit, PIP and other benefits could see their payments arrive earlier than usual over Christmas and New Year because of bank holidays.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has already confirmed their festive payment schedules, while the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is expected to publish its own arrangements closer to Christmas.
Why State Pension, Universal Credit, PIP and other benefits payment dates change
Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25 this year, with the substitute bank holiday for Boxing Day observed on Monday, December 28. New Year’s Day falls on Friday, January 1, 2027, while Scotland has an additional bank holiday on Monday, January 4.
When a scheduled payment date lands on a bank holiday, payments are generally made on the previous working day instead. That means some households will receive money early—but will need to make it last until their next normal payment date.
HMRC Child Benefit
HMRC has confirmed changes to Child Benefit payment dates over Christmas and New Year.
The confirmed changes are:
- Payments due on Monday, December 28 will be paid on Thursday, December 24
The full schedule is available on GOV.UK.
DWP benefits: expected changes
The DWP has not yet confirmed its Christmas and New Year payment arrangements. However, it is expected to follow its usual practice of bringing payments forward when the normal date falls on a bank holiday.
The changes could affect people receiving:
- State Pension
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
The expected DWP payment changes are:
- Payments due on Friday, December 25 are expected to be paid on Thursday, December 24
- Payments due on Monday, December 28 are expected to be paid on Thursday, December 24
- Payments due on Friday, January 1 are expected to be paid on Thursday, December 31
- Payments due on Monday, January 4 are expected to be paid on Thursday, December 31
The January 4 change is expected to apply in Scotland only, because of the additional Scottish bank holiday. These DWP dates remain provisional until the department publishes its official schedule.
What claimants should do
People who normally receive payments from more than one agency may find the money arrives on different dates over the festive fortnight.
