People claiming benefits and are in line for a small top up this thanks to a bonus.
A one-off payment of £10 will be given to claimants just in time for the festive period which is sure to help out with presents.
The is being made available to people already claiming at least one of a series of benefits, from carer's allowance to pensions credit.
The tenner will be paid to people during the first full week of December, and won't affect any other you may have, the Mirror reports.
That means the added payment won't increase your income during a Universal Credit assessment, for example.
You can claim if you live in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, , a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland in the week when the payment is due.
Here are the benefits you need to be claiming in the first full week of December to automatically qualify:
- 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
- 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)
- (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
That means people on won't automatically get the extra £10 unless they also receive one of the above benefits.
"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," the DWP site states.
Couples who both qualify will both get the extra payment.
If your other half doesn't get one of the qualifying benefits, they could still get an extra payment if:
- You're both over age by the end of the first full week in December,
- You're both a resident of the qualifying regions by the end of the first full week in December,
- 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.
The Christmas Bonus should automatically be transferred into the bank account your benefits are normally paid into - showing up as "DWP XB" on your bank statement.
If you haven't got it, and think you should have, contact the your nearest or pension centre .
