The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed it will be giving millions of people receiving State Pension or claiming disability benefits a Christmas Bonus this year.
This will be a one-off, tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas Day and paid to people who are in receipt of certain benefits during the qualifying period which is typically the first full week of December.
And the best bit is that you don’t even need to claim as it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your benefit payments or state Pension and will show as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement.
However, it's worth noting that the DWP will make this as a separate payment, independent of your usual one, so it may arrive on a different day.
The DWP confirmed the Christmas bonus on Friday and said that eligible claimants will receive letters telling them when it will be paid.
The DWP said: "People who receive pension or disability benefits will receive a tax-free Christmas bonus of £10. The payment will be made before 25 December, and paid directly to customers’ bank or building society.
"Letters will be sent out by the Department to inform people when they will receive their £10 bonus."
Who is eligible for the £10 Christmas Bonus?
To qualify for the Christmas Bonus you must be living in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week, December 6 - 12.
The DWP will write to eligible claimants advising them that they will be receiving the £10 bonus early in December.
You must also be receiving at least one of the following benefits:
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
Carer’s Allowance
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 (DLA)
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
If you haven’t claimed your State Pension and aren’t entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, you won’t get a Christmas Bonus.
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 doesn’t get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas Bonus if both the following apply:
you’re both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week
your partner or civil partner was also living 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
How to claim
You don’t need to claim the Christmas Bonus, the DWP will pay it out automatically.
If you think you should get it, but don’t receive it, contact the Jobcentre Plus office or pension centre that deals with your payments.
Find out more about the bonus and eligibility on the GOV.UK website here.
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