Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has plans to revise the payment dates for universal credit payments over Christmas and new year to allow claimants whose specified payment date is on or after 25 December 2018 to be paid more than one working day in advance of 25 December 2018.

The Department has extensive experience of paying claimants over holiday periods and we have also paid Universal Credit to significant numbers of claimants over previous Christmas periods.

The Department will advance the timing of all payments for people affected by bank holidays, to make sure they have money over the festive period.

Universal Credit payments due to be received on 24, 25 and 26 December will be paid no later than 21 December.

Universal Credit payments due to be received on 30, 31 December and 1 January will receive payment no later than 31 December.

This information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-have-your-benefits-paid