Extra cash could be coming your way this month after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced that there will be a one-off tax-free Christmas bonus to some recipients of Government benefits. Payments will be made to those people on certain qualifying benefits.
The additional payment won't affect any other benefits you get and do not need to do anything to claim - it should be paid automatically. Any extra cash is a bonus at this time of the year but it is especially welcome this year with rising energy prices and the cost of living crisis starting to bite. Here's everything you need to know about the bonus including who is eligible and how much you'll get...
Who is eligible?
You'll need to be claiming one or more benefits from the list below to be eligible for the Christmas bonus. In addition, you must have been present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week - normally the first full week of December.
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You must get at least one of the following benefits:
- 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
Be aware that 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
How much is it and when will it be paid?
Payment is normally made in the first full week of December and you can expect a one-off payment of £10. Look out for ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement. You don't need to do anything to claim the amount, it should be paid automatically. However, if you think you should get it, but have not, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.
What else to be aware of
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 does not 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 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
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