If you are wondering what has happened to your January tax credit payment because you believe it was due on January 21st then you might need to go back and check your November payment date. The reason for expecting your payment on 21st January may be that you were paid in December on 24th December and 4 weeks from then is 21st January. However, the December payment may well have been paid early due to the Christmas holidays.

So, if your December payment was due on 25th December, it will have been paid on 24th December instead. So this would mean that your January payment would be due on 22nd January and not 21st. Likewise if your payment was due on 26th December then you won’t get paid until 23rd January.

Go back to your November statement to check when that was paid. If you were paid on 27th November then your January payment will be made on 22nd January. If you were paid on 28th November then your January payment will be made on 23rd January.

January is always a confusing month for working out tax credit payment dates due to the Christmas holidays, so try not to panic if you don’t see the money in your account when you think it should be there!