The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed who will receive this year’s Christmas Bonus and when payments will be made.
The one-off tax-free payment will be sent automatically in early December to people receiving certain benefits, including the State Pension, Pension Credit and Personal Independence Payment.
Benefit recipients across the UK will automatically receive a tax-free £10 payment as part of the government’s Christmas Bonus scheme.
The one-off payment will be deposited directly into bank accounts before Christmas and will appear on statements as ‘DWP XB’.
It will not affect any other benefits or payments.
There is no need to apply, as anyone receiving one of the qualifying benefits will get the payment automatically.
To get the Christmas Bonus, people must be living in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, which is usually the first full week of December.
Benefit recipients across the UK will receive an automatic tax-free payment of £10 as part of the government's Christmas Bonus scheme
| GETTYTo receive the Christmas Bonus, the person must be getting at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (after the first 13 weeks of the claim, once in the main phase)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit (the guarantee element)
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- 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 get the £10 Christmas Bonus, claimants need to claiming certain benefits | GETTY To get the Christmas Bonus, people must be living in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, which is usually the first full week of December.
Those who have moved to a European Economic Area country or Switzerland should check the latest rules on claiming UK benefits abroad. The payment will be made in the same way as other benefits, usually directly into a bank account.
Anyone who has not yet claimed their state pension will only get the bonus if they receive another qualifying benefit.
Married couples and civil partners can each get £10 if both receive one of the qualifying benefits, meaning some households could receive £20 in total.
Partners who do not receive a qualifying benefit may still get the bonus if both people are over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week and meet the residency conditions.
They may still be eligible for a Christmas Bonus if their benefit payment includes an extra amount for their partner, or if their only qualifying benefit is Pension Credit
| GETTYIf only one partner receives a qualifying benefit, they may still be eligible for a Christmas Bonus if their benefit payment includes an extra amount for their partner, or if their only qualifying benefit is Pension Credit.
These rules are designed to make sure couples are treated fairly, as benefit arrangements can vary from one household to another.
Anyone who has not received their Christmas Bonus by January 1 should contact Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service, depending on which benefit makes them eligible.
In some cases, administrative errors can lead to people being paid twice. Anyone who receives more than one Christmas Bonus should report it straight away to avoid an overpayment problem.
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