The payment dates for Universal Credit are changing next month due to Christmas.
The payment is usually made monthly on the same date, but because there are a number of bank holidays in December these dates will differ.
If payment dates fall on December 25 or December 28, the payments will actually come through on the first working day before these, the Express reports.
In Scotland, there are the same bank holidays but there is also one approaching on November 30 (St Andrew’s Day.
Beyond this, there will be two further bank holidays in early January.
To apply for Universal Credit, claimants will need to head online.
People that live with a partner will need to apply as a couple but they do not need to be married.
Where a person may assist with a claim, they can contact a designated Universal Credit helpline.
Additionally, there is a Help to Claim service which can help people in the early stages of a claim which is provided by Citizens Advice and is completely free-to-use.
Should a claimant not be able to wait the initial five weeks for a payment, they may be able to apply for an advance on their first payment.
This can only be applied for if a claimant needs help covering their bills or other costs while waiting for their Universal Credit payment.
These advances will need to be paid back to the government and the repayments will be made from future Universal Credit payments.
Additionally, claimants will need to report any changes in circumstances going forward as this may impact how much they’ll receive.
