The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) pays a one-off, tax-free Christmas Bonus of £10 to people receiving certain benefits, but not Universal Credit. The payment is made automatically before Christmas to those who meet the eligibility criteria during a qualifying week, typically the first full week in December.
Nearly 24 million people across the UK claim at least one DWP benefit, including 13.2 million older people receiving State Pension, 8.4 million on Universal Credit, and over 4 million Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants. However, many people—including those new to claiming their State Pension or receiving devolved disability benefits such as Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) or Adult/Child Disability Payment—may not be aware of this annual bonus.
Who qualifies for the £10 Christmas Bonus?
To qualify, you must be present or 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, during the qualifying week of December 7–13 (to be confirmed). The DWP will write to eligible claimants advising them they will receive the £10 bonus in December, but this letter sometimes arrives after the payment has been made.
Qualifying benefits include Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only), Armed Forces Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment (Scotland only), Child Disability Payment (Scotland only), Constant Attendance Allowance, Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase is entered after the first 13 weeks), Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate, Industrial Death Benefit, Mobility Supplement, Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland only), Pension Credit (guarantee element), PIP, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scotland only), State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit), Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected), Unemployability Supplement or Allowance, War Disablement Pension at State Pension age, War Widow's Pension, Widowed Mother's Allowance, Widowed Parent's Allowance, and Widow's Pension.
Payment details and history
The DWP issues this as a separate payment, independent of your scheduled State Pension or benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day. Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10; it should automatically go into the account where you usually receive your benefit payment. It usually shows as 'DWP XB' on bank statements and online accounts.
The £10 Christmas Bonus was introduced by Ted Heath's Conservative Government in 1972. It has not been uprated or increased since it launched over five decades ago. In today's money, it would be worth around £118, calculated under the composite price index published by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Couples and how to claim
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 will each get a £10 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 of the following apply: you're both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week, and 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.
One of the following must also apply: you are entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner, or the only qualifying benefit you are getting is Pension Credit. Not everyone over State Pension age will get the payment; DWP guidance on GOV.UK explains: “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.”
You do not need to claim the Christmas Bonus—you should get it automatically. More information is available on GOV.UK.
