Before the "JPA is 5hit" brigade pitch up payday for UK accounts is the last (bank) working day of the month. For people paid into overseas accounts this may be different. Unless New Years Eve is a bank holiday these days (may be in Scotland?) pay day will (should) be 31 Dec. Unlike a lot of civilian companies who pay their peeps early in December to allow for the "oh my god the shops are shut for 2 days I must panic buy as if there is about to be a nuclear war".