Nearly 24 million people across Great Britain are currently claiming at least one benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This figure includes 13 million pensioners receiving State Pension payments (classed as a contributory benefit), 5.7 million on Universal Credit, and 3.8 million Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants.
However, many people, including those newly retired or those receiving disability benefits such as Adult/Child Disability Payment, may not be aware of an annual bonus paid to certain benefit claimants before Christmas.
The DWP ‘Christmas Bonus’ is a one-off, tax-free payment of £10 made to people receiving certain benefits – but not Universal Credit. Payments will be automatically issued before January 1, 2026.
Those on the State Pension, PIP, devolved Scottish disability benefits, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance – 23 benefits in total – will receive the money automatically before Christmas, provided they meet the eligibility criteria during a specific qualifying period, typically the first full week in December.
It’s important to note that the DWP will issue this as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day, reports the Daily Record.
There’s no need to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically be deposited into the account where you usually receive your benefit payment or State Pension. It typically appears as ‘DWP XB’ on bank statements and online accounts, but we will confirm the exact code to look out for closer to the time.
The £10 Christmas Bonus was introduced by Ted Heath’s Conservative Government in 1972. It has not been uprated or increased since its inception over five decades ago and in today’s money, it would be worth around £118 – when calculated under the composite price index published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Who qualifies for the £10 Christmas Bonus?
To be eligible for the Christmas Bonus you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, Gibraltar, during the qualifying week of December 1 – 7 (to be confirmed).
The DWP will contact eligible claimants informing them that they will be receiving the £10 bonus in December, though this correspondence sometimes arrives after the payment has been processed.
Qualifying benefits
You must also receive at least one of the following benefits during the qualifying week:
- 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)
- 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
Not everyone above State Pension age will receive the payment, DWP guidance on GOV.UK clarifies: « If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas Bonus. »
Married or cohabiting couples and civil partnerships The DWP guidance clarifies that if you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or cohabiting as though you are, and both of you receive one of the qualifying benefits, you will each be entitled to a £10 Christmas Bonus payment.
Even if your partner or civil partner doesn’t receive one of the qualifying benefits, they may still be eligible for the Christmas Bonus if certain conditions 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
Additional criteria must also be met:
- You are entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner
- the only qualifying benefit you are getting is Pension Credit
Claiming Process
There’s no need to apply for the Christmas Bonus – it should be automatically credited to your account before 1 January 2026. More information about the Christmas Bonus can be found on the GOV.UK website here.
