The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is going to distribute a Christmas bonus to millions of benefit recipients shortly. Worth £10, the Christmas bonus has faced criticism in previous years as an « insult » to households, given the soaring costs of bills and inflation.
Since its launch by the DWP in 1972, the payment has remained unchanged permanently. It was briefly increased to £70 in 2008 to help individuals during the financial crisis but was cut back to £10 the following year, reports the Mirror.
Those qualifying for the DWP Christmas bonus must be claiming one of the following benefits during the qualifying week, typically the first full week of December:
- 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
To qualify, you must also be present or « ordinarily resident » in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week. The payment is processed automatically and will show as « DWP XB » on your bank statement. This cash is tax-free and won’t impact any other benefits you might be claiming.
If you’re married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, both partners could potentially claim the Christmas bonus. To receive the Christmas bonus, each individual must be claiming one of the qualifying benefits.
However, if one partner does not receive a qualifying benefit, they may still be eligible for the payment, provided they meet both of the following requirements:
- 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
