Universal Credit claimants should get their Christmas payment early this year thanks to the way the bank holidays fall.
The benefits payment is due to be paid out on the bank holiday which includes Christmas Day, but as with all other payments it’s unable to go through.
This means that the money should be paid in advance, reports the Mirror.
Christmas falls on a Saturday this December and Boxing Day on a Sunday. That means Monday, December 27, and Tuesday, December 28, will both be official bank holidays.
If your Universal Credit payment is supposed to fall on either of those dates then the government has said you’ll now get the cash on the Friday before Christmas.
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That means you’ll be paid on Christmas Eve, December 24.
As Universal Credit payments are usually monthly that means you’ll need to stretch the money a little longer than you’re used to.
But, it also means you’ll have some cash to buy any last minute festive bits and pieces.
Unfortunately, those who claim benefits are also set to be hit by the scrapping of the £20-a-week uplift which was introduced to help low income households through the pandemic.
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The money was first paid in March last year, but will now come to an end.
Around five million households are on Universal Credit and the £80-a-month extra took the pressure off of many.
The average adult on standard allowance will now see their payments drop from £411.51 to £324.84.
The benefit boost was worth an additional £1040 a year.
Would you find it handy to be paid early this Christmas? Tell us in the comments…
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