By Ruby Flanagan The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be paying benefits claimants early this week. As 2024 is a leap year, February has 29 days rather than 28 – meaning there is one extra day than usual. Even with the extra day, as February has fewer days than any other month of the year some Universal Credit claimants will receive the payments early depending on their normal payment dates. This is because Universal Credit is paid on the same date each month. If you are due to receive your benefit payment on the 30 or 31 of this month, you will instead receive it on the 29 instead….