Christmas Payments

Benefit Payment Dates

Where your payment is due to be received and it is a weekend or bank holiday you will receive their payment early.

The table below provides details of when you can expect to receive your payment. It covers both Universal Credit and other benefit payments.

When is your payment due?	Universal Credit will be paid on	Other benefits will be paid on
Wednesday 25^th December	Tuesday 24^th December	Tuesday 24^th December
Thursday 26^th December	Tuesday 24^th December	Tuesday 24^th December
Friday 27^th December	Friday 27^th December	Tuesday 24^th December
Saturday 28^th December	Friday 27^th December	N/A
Sunday 29^th December	Friday 27^th December	N/A
Monday 30^th December	Monday 30^th December	Monday 30^th December
Tuesday 31^st December	Tuesday 31^st December	Tuesday 31^st December
Wednesday 1^st January	Tuesday 31^st December	Tuesday 31^st December
Thursday 2^nd January	Thursday 2^nd January	Thursday 2^nd January

Wages Paid Early

Most employers will pay their staff early at Christmas and this means you will have longer before your bills are paid from your bank account where you pay by Direct Debit or regular Standing Order. More information on when you can expect your Direct Debit to be taken is below….

If you are receiving Universal Credit and you receive your wages early this may reduce your next UC payment. If this happens add a note to your journal advising UC that your wages were paid early and the DWP should then review your award. If this doesn’t change anything then seek advice as soon as you can.

You can contact our Money Advice team on 0161 217 6016, option 3, then option 4 and they will be able to help you with this. Please note our office closes on Tuesday 24^th December 2024 and the team won’t then be available to contact until Thursday 2^nd January 2025 at 8.30am.

Christmas Bonus/Overtime

Any additional payments that you receive from your employer either because of bonuses, overtime or something similar are classed as income for Universal Credit and other benefits, and so you should expect to see a reduction in the next payment if you do receive any extra money and prepare in advance for this.

Our Money Advice team can talk you through the impact of any additional income you expect to receive so that you know in advance how much your benefit payments will reduce by.

Direct Debit Payments

Because of the Christmas period some Direct Debits will be taken from your bank account later than the agreed payment date; this is where dates fall on the weekend and on or around bank holidays.

The table below provides details of when a Direct Debit may be taken from your bank account based on your usual payment date. This is only where an alternative date has not been arranged with the team.

Usual Payment Date	Payment taken from your bank
25^th December	27^th December
26^th December	27^th December
27^th December	27^th December
28^th December	30^th December
29^th December	30^th December
30^th December	30^th December
Last day of the month	31^st December
1^st January	2^nd January