DWP announces huge change for Universal Credit and other benefits next week

18 December 2023 , 14:17

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Jobcentres will have adjusted opening times over Christmas and New Year (Image: Getty Images)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed a huge shake up of the opening times for its Jobcentres next week.

Jobcentres will close on Christmas Day (Monday, December 25) and Boxing Day (Tuesday, December 26) as these are classed as bank holidays. Jobcentres in England and Wales will also stay shut on Wednesday, December 27 as well, although they’ll be open as normal in Scotland on this day.

There will be another bank holiday on New Year's Day (Monday, January 1) meaning all Jobcentres will be closed on this day as well. There are 639 Jobcentres across the UK. Here are the dates Jobcentres will be closed over Christmas and New Year:

• Monday, December 25, 2023
• Tuesday, December 26, 2023
• Wednesday, December 27, 2023 (apart from Jobcentres in Scotland, which will be open)
• Monday, January 1, 2024

Phone lines will also be closed on the days listed above as well, so do keep this in mind if you’ve had issues receiving benefits over Christmas. Phone lines will be open on other days between December 22 and January 2, but they will have reduced hours and will close at 4pm instead of 6pm.

Meanwhile, you may find you get paid early over Christmas and New Year if you're normally due a benefit payment on a bank holiday. Benefit payments due on Monday, December 25 or Tuesday, December 26 should hit bank accounts on Friday, December 22 instead.

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Some payments that aren't Universal Credit, including Tax Credits, will also be paid early if they're due on Wednesday, December 27. If you live in England and Scotland and you're due a Tax Credit payment on Thursday, December 28, you'll be paid on Wednesday, December 27.

If you're due a benefit payment on Monday, January 1, then you should be paid on Friday, December 29. Tax Credit claimants who are normally paid on Tuesday, January 2, will also be paid on Friday, December 29. If you live in England or Northern Ireland and you're due a Tax Credit payment on Wednesday, January 3, then the money should hit your bank account on Tuesday, January 2.

Levi Winchester