These are the dates benefits recipients can expect their payments over Christmas and the New Year

Times are hard for a lot of households across the UK at the moment, and the build up to Christmas is expected to hit families hard with additional costs in both energy through the longer nights and gifts.

The cost of living crisis is hitting hard with payment dates remembered by households up and down the country, but when will money be in the accounts of claimants over December?

This year the public will be treated to an extended weekend over late December due to Tuesday, December 27 being allocated as a substitute bank holiday for Christmas Day, which falls on a Sunday this year. The additional Christmas £10 bonus will be paid around the same time as these payments.

Child Benefit

Bank holidays impact child benefit payment dates throughout the year and late December is no different. The Government website claims that any payments due on bank holiday will be paid early.

This means over Christmas any payments expected on Boxing Day or Tuesday, December 27 will be paid on Friday, December 23 instead.

Energy support scheme

The energy support scheme was announced by the Government back in April and started in October, running for six months throughout the winter.

These payments are made in various ways, depending on how households pay for their electricity with most payments being taken into account through regular payments. The only deviation from this is houses with a traditional prepayment meter. In this case, the discount is sent from the first week of each month, bypassing Christmas.

Other benefits

The Government website claims the majority of benefit payment dates which fall on a bank holiday will instead be paid the working day before. This is similar to how payment dates work if they fall on a weekend.

This includes:

Attendance Allowance Carer’s Allowance Disability Living Allowance Employment and Support Allowance Income Support Jobseeker’s Allowance Pension Credit Personal Independence Payment State Pension Universal Credit

Tax Credits

Tax Credit payment dates are slightly different to other benefits.

Any payments due between Boxing Day and Wednesday, December 28 will get their payment on Friday, December 23 while anyone expecting their money on Thursday, December 29 will get it one day early.

Any scheduled payments for the first three days of 2023 will be paid on Friday, December 30.