Christmas could see a change to your payment dates, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
If you are set to receive the state pension and other benefits over Christmas and New Year, depending on the date you normally receive it, that date may change in December, with Christmas and the subsequent bank holidays. However, you may receive your payments early.
The DWP said: “Our office opening hours are different over Christmas and New Year. To make sure people receive their payments on a day when our offices are open, arrangements have been made to make some payments early.”
In England and Wales, JobCentres will be open as usual on December 23 and 24 and will close for December 25 to Monday, December 30, when offices will again be open as usual.
They close again on January 1 but reopen as usual on January 2.
As far as payment dates go, any that are normally paid on the 25, 26 or 27 in any month will be paid early in December, on Tuesday, December 24. Payments due on January 1 will be paid on Tuesday, December 31, as will payments due on January 2 for people in Scotland only – full details can be seen on the Government website here.
Here’s what you need to know.
Pension credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single
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What pension credit includes
Pension credit is a tax-free benefit for those who have reached retirement age and live in the UK.
It has two parts — Guarantee Pension Credit and Savings Pension Credit. One or both parts are given depending on a person’s circumstances.
- your weekly income to £218.15 if you’re single.
- your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.
You may get extra amounts if you have other responsibilities and costs.
The top-up and extra amounts are known as “Guarantee Credit”.
Are you eligible for pension credit?
You must live in England, Scotland, or Wales to qualify — although the small print does allow nationals from some other European nations. More on that here.
“When you apply for pension credit your income is calculated. If you have a partner, your income is calculated together,” the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says on its website.
“If your income is higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.”
