DWP Christmas payments, Jobcentre Opening Times and Freephone numbers change
General information about DWP Christmas payments, Jobcentre Opening Times and Freephone numbers change.
Opening hours
Details of when DWP will be open and closed during the Christmas and New Year period:
DWP offices
(see chart below)
| Date | Arrangement |
| Monday 18 to Friday 22 December | All of our offices will be open as normal |
| Saturday 23 December | Child Maintenance Group will be open until 1pm and Debt Management will be open, other parts of Operations will be closed unless overtime is offered |
| Monday 25 December (Christmas Day – public holiday) | All of our offices will be closed |
| Tuesday 26 December (Boxing Day – public holiday) | All of our offices will be closed |
| Wednesday 27 December (Christmas closure day – except Scotland) | Offices in England and Wales will be closed , offices in Scotland will open as normal |
| Thursday 28 December | All of our offices will be open as normal |
| Friday 29 December | All of our offices will be open as normal |
| Saturday 30 December | Child Maintenance Group will be open until 1pm and Debt Management will be open, other parts of Operations will be closed unless overtime is offered |
| Monday 1 January (New Year’s Day – public holiday) | All of our offices will be closed |
| Tuesday 2 January (public holiday – Scotland only) | Offices in England and Wales will be open as normal, offices in Scotland will be closed unless overtime is offered |
| Wednesday 3 January onwards | All of our offices will be open as normal |
Payment arrangements:
Universal Credit customers will receive their December payment within their usual 7-day payment period. Their payments will not be delayed due to the Christmas and New Year public holidays.
All other customers will receive their benefit payments on specific dates:
- customers expecting a payment on 22, 25, 26 and 27 December will be paid on 22 December
- customers expecting a payment on 29 December and 1 January will be paid on 29 December
- The changes to Universal Credit telephone numbers coming into effect on 29 November are for the following services:
| Service Line | Current 0345 number | New Freephone number |
| UC Live Service | 0345 600 0723 | 0800 328 9344 |
| UC Full Service | 0345 600 4272 | 0800 328 5644 |
| UC Sanctions Line | 0345 600 3081 | 0800 328 9744 |
| UC Live to Full Service Transfers | 0345 606 9970 | 0800 328 7844 |
| UC/WA Welsh Line | 0345 600 3018 | 0800 328 1744 |
| UC Text phone | 0345 600 0743 | 0800 328 1344 |
If you have a tenant that is on Universal Credit and you are having difficulties coming to terms with the new system and encountering problems, contact Caridon Landlord Solutions to find out ways are experienced team will be able to assist you.
Caridon Landlord Solutions would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Xmas and a wonderful New Year.
Comments
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Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
3:09 PM, 20th December 2017, About 8 years ago
Here’s one for you Sherrelle if u can solve.
For years, HB has told us on the Wednesday what is going into our bank on the Friday, 2-3 days later. So if one isn’t on the list, or short etc., u can start acting.
UC don’t tell us a bean. U get the payment on the Friday & if it ain’t there, u then running round like a headless chicken on a Friday, with Sat & Sun no-one to ring.
If payment is in bank, u get the letter a FEW DAYS later. Why?
Why have HB been getting it right for 10 years or so? Yet NEW UC IN 2017 can’t get this basic right?
Challenge there for u to bring it up with your higher-up UC contacts.
We get told 2 days before that something is wrong, we can act much faster.