The Department for Work and Pensions will make automatic £10 payments to eligible benefit claimants in early December ahead of the festive period
UK households are in for a bit of extra cash in the coming weeks. The Department for Work and Pensions is set to dish out an additional £10 to eligible benefit claimants through the Christmas Bonus payment.
This one-off payment of £10 will be issued by the government department to those receiving any of the qualifying benefits, providing a little extra help over the festive period. Eligible benefits include Carer’s Allowance, Pension Credit and Personal Independence Payments (PIP), among others.
There’s no need to apply as the payment will be processed automatically. It’s expected that the money will land in bank accounts in early December – a few weeks before Christmas. Those entitled should see the payment credited to their account.
If you think you’re eligible but haven’t received the payment by the end of December, the DWP suggests contacting them from January 1 onwards, by which time all payments should have been made.
Who qualifies for the Christmas Bonus?
Those eligible for the DWP Christmas bonus must be receiving 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
People in a married couple, civil partnership, or living together as if they are either, will each receive a Christmas Bonus if they both claim a qualifying benefit. Moreover, if one partner doesn’t get a qualifying benefit, they could still receive a Christmas Bonus if they’re both over the State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week and the partner was also present in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Switzerland, or a European Economic Area country.
To qualify, the partner must either be receiving Pension Credit or be entitled to an increase in a qualifying benefit for their partner. There’s no need to apply for the Christmas Bonus as it should be automatically issued to all those who are eligible.
