The headline: any benefit payment due on Friday 25, Saturday 26, Sunday 27 or Monday 28 December 2026 will usually be paid on Thursday 24 December 2026. Payments due on Friday 1 January 2027 will usually be paid on Thursday 31 December 2026.
Christmas 2026 payment dates — the full table
Find your usual payment date in the left column, then read across to where you live. This applies to Universal Credit, State Pension, PIP, Pension Credit, Carer's Allowance, ESA, JSA, Attendance Allowance, DLA and Income Support. Child Benefit mostly follows this pattern too, but HMRC publishes its own dates — see the note below the table.
| Usual payment date | England & Wales | Scotland | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 24 December 2026 | Thursday 24 December 2026 | Thursday 24 December 2026 | Thursday 24 December 2026 |
| Friday 25 December 2026 Christmas Day | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY |
| Saturday 26 December 2026 Weekend | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY |
| Sunday 27 December 2026 Weekend | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY |
| Monday 28 December 2026 Boxing Day (substitute day) | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 24 December 2026EARLY |
| Tuesday 29 December 2026 | Tuesday 29 December 2026 | Tuesday 29 December 2026 | Tuesday 29 December 2026 |
| Wednesday 30 December 2026 | Wednesday 30 December 2026 | Wednesday 30 December 2026 | Wednesday 30 December 2026 |
| Thursday 31 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 | Thursday 31 December 2026 |
| Friday 1 January 2027 New Year's Day | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY |
| Saturday 2 January 2027 Weekend | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY |
| Monday 4 January 2027 Scotland: 2nd January (substitute day) | Monday 4 January 2027 | Thursday 31 December 2026EARLY | Monday 4 January 2027 |
Monday 4 January 2027 is a bank holiday in Scotland only (2nd January, substitute day) — payments due that day in Scotland are paid on Thursday 31 December 2026, while in England & Wales and Northern Ireland they're paid as normal on the Monday.
Child Benefit at Christmas 2026
HMRC publishes its own Child Benefit dates. For Christmas 2026 GOV.UK lists: Child Benefit due on Monday 28 December 2026 → paid Thursday 24 December 2026, and Child Benefit due on Tuesday 29 December 2026 in Northern Ireland → paid Wednesday 30 December 2026. The full HMRC table is on our Child Benefit payment dates page.
Budgeting note
An early payment is not a bonus — it's the same money arriving sooner, and your next payment stays on its normal date. If you're paid on 24 December instead of 28 December, the gap to your January payment is four days longer than usual. Bear that in mind before Christmas spending.
Work out your own dates with the payment date calculator, or see dates by benefit: Universal Credit, State Pension, PIP, Child Benefit. Full 2027 calendar: bank holiday payment dates 2027.
Frequently asked questions
Will my benefit be paid before Christmas in 2026?
If your payment is due on Friday 25 December or Monday 28 December 2026, yes — it will usually be paid on Thursday 24 December 2026, the last working day before Christmas. Payments due on Saturday 26 or Sunday 27 December also move to Thursday 24 December.
What about Universal Credit due over Christmas 2026?
Universal Credit follows the same rule: a payment due on 25–28 December 2026 will be paid on Thursday 24 December 2026. A payment due on Friday 1 January 2027 will be paid on Thursday 31 December 2026.
When is the State Pension paid over Christmas 2026?
State Pension follows the same rule. For example, a Friday payer (National Insurance number ending 80–99) due on Friday 25 December 2026 will be paid on Thursday 24 December 2026. A Monday payer due on Monday 28 December 2026 will also be paid on Thursday 24 December.
Is Child Benefit paid early at Christmas 2026?
HMRC has published that Child Benefit due on Monday 28 December 2026 will be paid on Thursday 24 December 2026. Child Benefit due on Tuesday 29 December 2026 in Northern Ireland is listed by HMRC as paid on Wednesday 30 December 2026. See our Child Benefit page for HMRC's full table.
Will benefits due on 1 January 2027 be paid early?
Yes. Friday 1 January 2027 is a bank holiday across the UK, so payments due that day will usually be paid on Thursday 31 December 2026. In Scotland, Monday 4 January 2027 is also a bank holiday (2nd January substitute day), so payments due then are paid on Thursday 31 December 2026 too.
Does an early Christmas payment mean I get extra money?
No. It's the same payment, made sooner because banks and DWP don't process payments on bank holidays. Your next payment after Christmas will be on its normal date, so budget for a slightly longer gap in January.
Will I get two payments in December 2026?
You might. If your payment is due on Friday 1, Saturday 2 or Sunday 3 January 2027, it will be paid early on Thursday 31 December 2026 — so you'll receive two payments in December. The second one isn't extra: it's your January payment arriving early, and it has to last until your following payment on its normal date.
What if my Christmas payment hasn't arrived on the day shown?
Check your account again at the end of the day — payments can appear at different times on the payment day. Then check your benefit account or award letter for any change. If the payment is still missing on the next working day, contact the office that pays your benefit. And beware of scams: DWP and HMRC never ask for bank details by text or email to release a payment.