Overview
- Payments scheduled for 25 or 26 December will be paid on 24 December, and those due on 1 January will be paid on 31 December.
- For non‑Universal Credit benefits, payments due on 24 December move to 23 December, while Universal Credit due on 24–26 December is paid on 24 December.
- In Scotland, most payments due on 2 January are brought forward to 31 December, though Universal Credit due on 2 January is paid that day.
- The tax‑free £10 Christmas bonus is being issued to eligible pensioners and certain benefit claimants, and missing bonuses should be reported to the Pension Service or Jobcentre Plus after 1 January.
- From April 2026, Universal Credit standard allowances rise about 6.1%, most other benefits about 3.8%, and the state pension about 4.8%, with some health‑related Universal Credit elements frozen or halved to 2029–30; DWP staff will also be balloted by PCS in January over pay.