Thousands of people who get certain benefits will receive a Christmas Bonus this year.
The bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment which does not affect any other benefits you get.
It is normally paid in December, in time for Christmas.
The Department for Work and Pensions has explained the bonus may show up as 'DWP XB' on bank statements.
To be eligible for a Christmas Bonus, you must be present or "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week.
This is usually the first week of December.
You must get at least one of the following benefits to qualify for a bonus:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit - the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow's Pension
- Widowed Mother's Allowance
- Widowed Parent's Allowance
- Widow's Pension
You do not need to claim the Christmas Bonus, as it should be paid automatically into your account.
If you're part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits, you'll each get a Christmas Bonus payment.
If your partner or civil partner does not get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas Bonus if both of the following apply:
- You're both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week
- Your partner or civil partner was also present (or 'ordinarily resident') in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland during the qualifying week
And either:
- You're entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner
- The only qualifying benefit you're getting is Pension Credit
