London — Saturday, 20 December 2025 — With Christmas and New Year bank holidays approaching, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and GOV.UK guidance confirms that some benefit and State Pension payments will be made earlier than usual, while Jobcentre Plus offices and key helplines will operate reduced or changed opening hours. Meanwhile, millions of pensioners and eligible benefit claimants have already received (or are due) the long-running £10 Christmas Bonus, and fact-checkers are warning about viral misinformation claiming the payment is higher.
Below is the full, up-to-date rundown for 2025, including exact dates to watch, who qualifies for the £10 bonus, and what to do if money doesn’t arrive.
Why benefit payments change over Christmas and New Year
The UK’s next bank holidays fall on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December 2025) and Boxing Day (Friday 26 December 2025), followed by New Year’s Day (Thursday 1 January 2026). In Scotland, 2 January (Friday 2 January 2026) is also a bank holiday. [1]
When payments are scheduled on or near bank holidays, some are paid early to avoid delays. GOV.UK states that some payments due between 24 December 2025 and 2 January 2026 will be made earlier, and advises claimants to contact the paying office if payment is not received on the scheduled day. [2]
DWP Christmas payment dates 2025–26: the full list of early-payment changes
GOV.UK publishes a clear schedule showing what happens if your payment is due on key holiday dates. Here are the changes that matter most:
If your payment is due on Wednesday 24 December 2025
- Universal Credit: paid Wednesday 24 December
- Most other benefits (and State Pension where applicable): paid Tuesday 23 December [3]
If your payment is due on Thursday 25 December 2025 (Christmas Day)
- Universal Credit: paid Wednesday 24 December
- Most other benefits: paid Tuesday 23 December [4]
If your payment is due on Friday 26 December 2025 (Boxing Day)
- Universal Credit: paid Wednesday 24 December
- Most other benefits: paid Tuesday 23 December [5]
If your payment is due on Thursday 1 January 2026 (New Year’s Day)
- Universal Credit: paid Wednesday 31 December 2025
- Most other benefits: paid Wednesday 31 December 2025 [6]
If your payment is due on Friday 2 January 2026 (Scotland only)
- Universal Credit: paid Friday 2 January 2026
- Most other benefits: paid Wednesday 31 December 2025 [7]
Important: An early payment is not an extra payment—it’s typically your normal money arriving sooner, which can mean a longer gap until the next scheduled payment.
Which benefits are affected?
News coverage and GOV.UK guidance consistently point to a wide range of DWP benefits being affected by the Christmas and New Year schedule, including Universal Credit and State Pension, plus disability and carer benefits.
The Standard lists benefits and pensions commonly affected by the festive payment timetable, including: Universal Credit, State Pension, Pension Credit, DLA, PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, ESA, Income Support, and JSA. [8]
(If you receive one of these and your payment date lands on the dates listed above, the GOV.UK timetable is the key reference.)
What about Child Benefit? (It can follow different rules)
GOV.UK notes that Child Benefit payment dates can differ when a payment is due on a bank holiday. [9]
For late December 2025 specifically, the official Child Benefit bank-holiday schedule highlights changes in Northern Ireland only:
- Due date 29 December 2025 → paid 30 December (Northern Ireland only)
- Due date 30 December 2025 → paid 31 December (Northern Ireland only) [10]
If you’re elsewhere in the UK, your Child Benefit may be unaffected at Christmas this year—but GOV.UK advises checking with your bank if local public holidays affect processing. [11]
Jobcentre Plus Christmas opening times 2025: when offices and phone lines are closed
If you need to contact Jobcentre Plus or manage appointments, pay close attention to the country-specific timetable.
England and Wales: Jobcentre Plus opening times
According to GOV.UK:
- Mon 22 Dec 2025: open as usual (phone lines open until 4pm)
- Tue 23 Dec 2025: open as usual (phone lines open until 4pm)
- Wed 24 Dec 2025:closed (offices and phone lines)
- Thu 25 Dec 2025:closed
- Fri 26 Dec 2025:closed
- Mon 29 Dec 2025: open as usual (phone lines until 4pm)
- Tue 30 Dec 2025: open as usual (phone lines until 4pm)
- Wed 31 Dec 2025: open as usual (phone lines until 4pm)
- Thu 1 Jan 2026:closed
- Fri 2 Jan 2026: open as usual (phone lines until 4pm) [12]
Scotland: Jobcentre Plus opening times
GOV.UK lists a key difference for Christmas Eve:
- Wed 24 Dec 2025:open as usual in Scotland (phone lines until 4pm)
- Thu 25 Dec 2025: closed
- Fri 26 Dec 2025: closed
- Thu 1 Jan 2026: closed
- Fri 2 Jan 2026:closed (Scotland) [13]
Universal Credit helpline Christmas opening times 2025
If you can’t use your online account and need the Universal Credit helpline, GOV.UK lists holiday opening hours:
- Mon 22 Dec 2025: open 8am–6pm
- Tue 23 Dec 2025: open 8am–6pm
- Wed 24 Dec 2025: open 8am–5pm (Scotland only)
- Thu 25 Dec 2025: closed
- Fri 26 Dec 2025: closed
- Mon 29 Dec 2025: open 8am–6pm
- Tue 30 Dec 2025: open 8am–6pm
- Wed 31 Dec 2025: open 8am–5pm
- Thu 1 Jan 2026: closed
- Fri 2 Jan 2026: open 8am–6pm (England and Wales only) [14]
GOV.UK also emphasises that you can contact Universal Credit through your online account, which remains the fastest option for many routine tasks and messages. [15]
DWP £10 Christmas Bonus 2025: what it is, how it shows up, and who gets it
What is the Christmas Bonus—and how much is it in 2025?
The Christmas Bonus is a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas to people who receive certain benefits during the qualifying week (normally the first full week of December). [16]
You do not need to claim it—GOV.UK says eligible people should be paid automatically. [17]
How will it appear on your bank statement?
GOV.UK says it may appear as “DWP XB” on your bank statement. [18]
What if you get more than one Christmas Bonus payment?
GOV.UK advises that if you receive more than one Christmas Bonus, you should contact the Jobcentre Plus office dealing with your payments or the Pension Service. [19]
Full list: Christmas Bonus qualifying benefits (2025)
To qualify, you generally must be present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK (or specified territories) during the qualifying week and receive at least one qualifying benefit. [20]
GOV.UK lists the following qualifying benefits:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (once the main phase is entered after the first 13 weeks)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Incapacity Benefit (long-term rate)
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit (guarantee element)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension (at State Pension age)
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension [21]
If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, GOV.UK notes you will not get the Christmas Bonus. [22]
Christmas Bonus and couples: can both partners get it?
GOV.UK states that if you’re part of a couple (married, civil partnership, or living together as if you are) and both receive a qualifying benefit, you’ll each get a Christmas Bonus payment. [23]
It also sets out circumstances where a partner may still qualify even if they do not receive a qualifying benefit themselves—depending on age, residency during the qualifying week, and whether you’re entitled to an increase for them or the only qualifying benefit is Pension Credit. [24]
What to do if your payment doesn’t arrive
If a regular benefit payment is late
GOV.UK’s guidance is straightforward: if you do not receive your payment on the scheduled date, tell the office that pays your benefit. [25]
Because of holiday banking schedules, it can also be sensible to allow time for funds to show as “available” depending on your bank.
If your Christmas Bonus doesn’t arrive
If you think you should get the Christmas Bonus but have not received it by 1 January, GOV.UK says to contact the Jobcentre Plus office dealing with your payments or the Pension Service. [26]
Warning: false claims about a bigger Christmas Bonus are spreading
One of the most-read benefit stories this season has been misinformation suggesting the Christmas Bonus is rising from £10 to £200. UK fact-checking charity Full Fact says that claim is false and that the Christmas Bonus remains £10 in 2025. [27]
As a general rule, be cautious with unsolicited messages about “extra DWP money”—and rely on GOV.UK guidance for payment dates and eligibility.
Key takeaways for claimants as of 20 December 2025
- If your payment is due on 25 December, 26 December, or 1 January, it will usually arrive earlier, with Universal Credit and other benefits following different dates. [28]
- Jobcentre Plus is closed on 25 December and 1 January across the UK, with additional closures on 24 December in England and Wales. [29]
- The Universal Credit helpline has country-specific reduced hours around Christmas Eve and a different pattern for 2 January depending on location. [30]
- The £10 Christmas Bonus is real, automatic for eligible people, and may show as “DWP XB”—but it is not increasing to £200. [31]
References
1. www.gov.uk, 2. www.gov.uk, 3. www.gov.uk, 4. www.gov.uk, 5. www.gov.uk, 6. www.gov.uk, 7. www.gov.uk, 8. www.standard.co.uk, 9. www.gov.uk, 10. www.gov.uk, 11. www.gov.uk, 12. www.gov.uk, 13. www.gov.uk, 14. www.gov.uk, 15. www.gov.uk, 16. www.gov.uk, 17. www.gov.uk, 18. www.gov.uk, 19. www.gov.uk, 20. www.gov.uk, 21. www.gov.uk, 22. www.gov.uk, 23. www.gov.uk, 24. www.gov.uk, 25. www.gov.uk, 26. www.gov.uk, 27. fullfact.org, 28. www.gov.uk, 29. www.gov.uk, 30. www.gov.uk, 31. www.gov.uk
