Overview

• The DWP has confirmed that payments scheduled for August 25 and the weekend of August 23–24 will be issued on Friday, August 22, while December payments due on the 25th and 26th will be made on December 24.
• This schedule shift applies to Universal Credit, state pension, pension credit, child benefit, disability living allowance, personal independence payment, attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, employment and support allowance, income support and jobseeker’s allowance.
• Recipients will receive the same benefit amounts despite the altered payment dates unless their individual circumstances change.
• Universal Credit claimants can access budgeting advance loans of between £348 and £812 interest-free to cover the longer interval until the next payment.
• The Household Support Fund has been extended through March 2026 to provide emergency grants via local councils for households facing financial hardship.