Christmas benefits 2017 to be paid EARLY - these are the dates you can expect them

With all the stress of buying presents and getting the Christmas dinner sorted it’s important to know when your benefits will be landing in your account.

As there are a number of bank holidays at this time of the year, benefits will be paid in early - usually the last working day before it.

So, to help you plan ahead, here are all the dates for when your benefits, including child benefits, pension benefits, tax credits, universal credit and jobseeker’s allowance, will be paid.

Child benefit

If your benefit is due on December 25 then you will be paid on December 21.

f your benefit is due on December 26 then you will be paid on December 22

If your benefit is due on new year’s day then you will be paid on December 29.

Tax credits

Claimants can choose whether to receive Tax Credits weekly or monthly. Tax credits due to be paid on Christmas Day will be paid on December 22.

Tax credits due to be paid on Boxing Day will be paid on December 22.

Tax credits due to be paid on December 27 will be paid on December 22.

Tax credits due to be paid on December 28 will be paid on December 27(England, Scotland and Wales only).

Tax credits due to be paid on January 1 will be paid on December 29.

Tax credits due to be paid on January 2 will be paid on December 29.

Tax credits due to be paid on January 3 will be paid January 2 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only).

Pension benefit

Between December 22 and December 27, you will be paid on December 22

December 28 - you will be paid on that day.

Between December 29 to Monday 1 January 2018 you will be paid on December 29.

Universal credit/jobseeker’s allowance

This is paid into claimant’s accounts on a monthly basis and, after the first payment, you’ll be paid on the same date every month. So, if your payment is supposed to come into your account on Christmas Day or Boxing Day then you will receive it the last working day before - so Friday, December 22. Payments due on Thursday, December 28 will still be paid that day and payments between Friday, December 29 and Monday, January 1 will be paid on Friday, December 29. Christmas Bonus Payments A tax free payment of £10 is made before Christmas for those who are eligible and thus is normally paid at least a week prior to Christmas. However, this is different according to each area.