THE DWP is making a big change to services for those on Universal Credit and other benefits next week.
The move will take effect to take into account the Bank Holidays over the busy Christmas period.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is changing the opening hours of certain phone lines and closing local Jobcentre Plus offices on selected days.
All Jobcentre Plus outlets will shut on the following days:
- Monday, December 25, 2023
- Tuesday, December 26, 2023
- Wednesday, December 27, 2023 (Jobcentres in Scotland will be open as normal)
- Monday, January 1, 2024
Phone lines will also be closed on the days listed above.
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Phone lines are open between December 22 and January 2, but they will be operating at reduced hours and will close at 4pm instead of the usual 6 pm cut-off.
There are 639 Jobcentres in operation across the country and you can locate your closest one by typing in your postcode on the government's website.
The centres are filled with work coaches to help and support those claiming legacy benefits and Universal Credit.
Jobcentres are primarily there to assist those on Universal Credit to find and get back into work.
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When you apply for Universal Credit online, you will need to visit your local Jobcentre where you'll be assigned a work coach and a dedicated central case manager.
All the advice and help provided is free of charge and the work coach helps customers look for work that is most suited to their skills.
Some of the free training courses on offer include helping claimants write a CV and teaching applicants how to behave during job interviews.
Thousands of households on benefits will get their payments earlier than usual this week to take into account the Christmas Bank Holidays.
If your payment is due on a bank holiday or a day on the weekend, it will be paid the first working day before this date.
That means if you are due to be paid on December 23, 24, 25 and 26 this year you will receive your payment on December 22 instead.
Meanwhile, if you are due to be paid on December 30, 31 or January 1 the cash will land in your account on December 29.
You could be affected if you claim any of the following benefits:
- Attendance allowance
- Carer's allowance
- Child benefit
- Disability living allowance
- Income support
- Jobseekers allowance
- Pension Credit
- Personal independence payment (PIP)
- State Pension
- Tax credits
- Universal Credit
The amount you get paid should not change.
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It will be the same as the previous month unless you have had a change of circumstances that has affected how much you are due.
Remember that if you do get paid early you will need to make that money last, as you will have to wait extra days until your next payment date.
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