Plan ahead - festive period Universal Credit payments set to be made early

Plan ahead - holiday period Universal Credit payments set to be made early

Some Universal Credit payments will be made earlier if they are due between 24 December 2018 and 2 January 2019.

This is because Christmas falls on a Tuesday, and Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both public holidays.

Please refer to the table above gives details of when benefits will be paid over the Christmas period.

If you are paid earlier or later than usual, your money will need to go further during the Christmas period.

There are different payment dates for tax credits. Tell the office that pays your benefit if you do not get your payment on the day it is scheduled.

Payments due on 2 January 2019 for the following will be paid on that day:

• Universal Credit payments
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support

All other benefit payments due on 2 January 2019 will be paid on 31 December 2018.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help from financial experts at the Money Advice Service, a provider of free and impartial financial advice, set up by Government:

• If you want to buy anything in the Boxing Day sales, make a note of the item’s price now to see if the saving is worth it.
• Before you do your Christmas food shop, use a comparison tool to compare the price of your basket.
• Make a meal plan for all the leftover food after Christmas to ensure none of it goes to waste.
• Leave your shopping until the last minute - prices often start to come down by December 20.
• If you’re staying with friends or family over Christmas, set the heating in your home to a lower temperature to save money.
• Give a different gift - a voucher of your time, or an I.O.U for a day out.
• Say yes to Christmas drinks, but no to expensive cocktails - stick to house wine and beer.
• Take your loyalty cards everywhere - many retailers offer bonus points over the festive period.
• Get cashback on any presents that you buy online.
• Don’t borrow, it’s not worth it for one day!

Meanwhile, the Money Advice Service has also created a useful Money Manager tool that provides tailored information specifically for Universal Credit claimants.