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Over the festive period, there will be some changes to payment dates for benefits.
Details have just been revealed and the majority of benefit recipients can expect disruption to their payment dates because of the festive bank holiday dates.
Those on Universal Credit or the State Pension, for example, may experience a change to their payment schedule at Christmas and New Year – as has become the norm.
It affects those who payments are due on bank holidays over these periods and typically means they’ll be paid on the last working day before.
The amended date however depends on the type of benefit and not everyone will be affected – so here are the changes coming next month.
(Image: PA)
The Christmas Bonus
The Christmas Bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week.
The first full week of December 2019 is when the Christmas bonus will be paid to pensioners and long term welfare claimants.
You don’t need to claim the Christmas Bonus – you should get it automatically.
Post Offices
Royal Mail’s latest recommended posting dates for delivery in the UK in 2019 are:
Wednesday December 18 – 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For
Friday December 20 – 1st Class and 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48*
Saturday December 21 – Royal Mail Tracked 24*
Monday December 23 – Special Delivery Guaranteed
There will be normal deliveries and Christmas collections on Christmas Eve, Tuesday December 24 and New Year’s Eve, Tuesday December 31.
No deliveries or collections will be made on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Years Day.
Winter Fuel Payments
If you were born on or before April 5 1954 you could get between £100 and £300.
This is known as a ‘Winter Fuel Payment’.
Usually, those who are eligible for the State Pension or another social security benefit (not Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Child Benefit or Universal Credit) will automatically get a Winter Fuel Payment.
The deadline for claiming payments for winter 2019 to 2020 is 31 March 2020.
Most payments are made automatically between November and December. You should get your money by 13 January 2020.
Universal Credit
Universal Credit payments are usually made monthly in England.
The benefit, which replaced many previous welfare payments, will change slightly over the festive period.
This means that some recipients will see payments in their accounts earlier than they’re due – if they fall on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day:
Tax Credit
Tax Credit payments due on the previously mentioned bank holiday dates will also be scheduled for earlier in the affected weeks.
This means that recipients of this benefit can now expect payments to adhere to the following schedule:
- Payment due : Wednesday, December 25. Payment sent : Tuesday December 24.
- Payment due : Thursday, December 26. Payment sent : Tuesday December 24.
- Payment due: Friday, December 27. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 24 (Northern Ireland only).
- Payment due : Wednesday, January 1. Payment sent : Tuesday, December 31.
- Payment due: Thursday, January 2. Payment sent: Tuesday, December 31 (Scotland only).
There is often variety in the rescheduling of Tax Credit payments, and as is shown above, those in Northern Ireland and Scotland may be further affected due to their extended payment dates.
Child Benefit
Child Benefit recipients are unlikely to be affected by the upcoming bank holidays as the benefit is usually paid every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday.
However, there may be some individuals who have their festive payments due on incompatible dates and so should be aware of the alternative schedule:
Other benefits incl. State Pension and PIP
It’s not just Universal Credit and the other mentioned benefits which are affected by bank holidays next month.
The following benefits may also see amended payment dates as well:
- Attendance Allowance
- State Pension
- Carer’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payments
These benefits – in cases where payment is due on a bank holiday – should also follow the standard rule of being reschedule to the working day before such:
If you don’t get your benefits payment on the amended date mentioned above then you should contact the Department for Work and Pensions as soon as possible on the revised date.
If they don’t arrive when expected
It’s important to note that the Department will not be available on the bank holidays themselves so it’s important to get in touch on the working day beforehand – which should be the revised payment date itself.
Available helpline numbers for the various affected benefits include:
- Universal Credit help on 0800 328 9344.
- The Pension Service on 0800 731 0469.
- JSA, Income-support, Incapacity Benefit or ESA help on 0800 169 0310.
- Child Benefit assistance on 0300 200 3100.
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