The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced when benefit payments will be made over the Christmas period. The way Christmas falls this year will mean a slight change to when you get your money so here’s everything you need to know about when you’ll get your benefits over Christmas.

This year there will be a bank holiday for Boxing Day on Monday 26 December and another on Tuesday 27 December, as Christmas Day falls on Sunday.

If your DWP benefit payment is due on a bank holiday, you are typically paid on the last working day before the holiday. Over Christmas 2022, this means that anyone due a payment on 24, 25, 26 or 27 of the month should instead be paid on Friday 23 December.

If your payment day does not land on any of the Christmas bank holiday dates this year, you can expect the payment on the same day as usual.

People who receive certain benefits in the qualifying week can also expect the Christmas bonus – a one-off tax-free £10 payment – in the first week of December. You do not need to claim – it should be paid automatically.