UK households are being told to look for a five-digit code on their bank statement this December for Christmas Bonus payments.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will send a one-off tax-free payment of £10 to thousands of eligible households claiming certain benefits.
The ‘Christmas Bonus’ is paid to those who qualify in the first full week of December and is issued automatically, so you don’t have to apply to get it.
The free £10 will be sent directly to your bank account by the DWP and should appear as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement.
The DWP will give you the £10 bonus if you live, or are “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar, during the qualifying week, which this year is from December 2 to 8.
During this period, you must have been received at least one of the following benefits to be eligible for the one-off payment:
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
You won’t get the Christmas Bonus if you haven’t claimed your State Pension, and you’re not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, the DWP said.
If you’re a married couple, in a civil partnership, or living together as if you are, and you both receive at least one of the above qualifying benefits, then you will each get a Christmas Bonus payment from the DWP.
If your partner doesn’t get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still be eligible for the payment if both of 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:
If you think you’re entitled to the £10 Christmas Bonus but you haven’t received it in the first week of December then you should contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.
