Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and the state pension are just some of the awards that could be impacted
Millions of people will receive their benefit payments early this week from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and the state pension are just some of the awards that could be impacted. It all depends on when you normally receive your payments.
If you are due a payment on Thursday, Christmas Day or Friday, Boxing Day, you should receive your money earlier than expected tomorrow, on Christmas Eve. This is because DWP payments are not paid on bank holidays.
If you do get paid early, you will need to make your money last a little longer until your next payment. If you are due a benefit payment on Thursday, January 1, you will likely be paid on Wednesday, December 31 instead.
If you don’t get your benefit payment when you expected to, you should contact the relevant office online or by phone, or your local JobCentre when they next reopen.
Keep in mind that helplines will be closed on the bank holiday dates, so you won’t be able to get through until they reopen the following working day.
DWP and HMRC benefit payments December 2025
Most benefits are paid by the DWP but Tax Credits and Child Benefit are paid by HMRC. Child Benefit is normally paid on Mondays and Tuesdays, so these payments should not be impacted by the Christmas bank holidays.
You can find a full list of some of the most common benefit payments below, plus how often they are normally paid:
- Attendance Allowance – Usually every four weeks
- Carer’s Allowance – Weekly in advance or every four weeks
- Child Benefit – Usually every four weeks, or weekly if you’re a single parent or you or your partner get certain benefits
- Disability Living Allowance – Usually every four weeks
- Employment and Support Allowance – Usually every two weeks
- Income Support – Usually every two weeks
- Jobseeker’s Allowance – Usually every two weeks
- Pension Credit – Usually every four weeks
- Personal Independence Payment – Usually every four weeks
- State Pension – Usually every four weeks
- Tax credits – Every four weeks or weekly
- Universal Credit – Every month
