Nearly 24 million people across the UK claim at least one benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), including 13.3 million older people receiving State Pension payments, 8.3 million on Universal Credit, and over 4.1 million Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants. However, many—especially new State Pension claimants or those receiving disability benefits like the devolved Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP) or Adult/Child Disability Payment—may not know about an annual bonus paid before Christmas.
What is the DWP Christmas Bonus?
The DWP Christmas Bonus is a one-off, tax-free payment of £10 made to people receiving certain benefits—but not Universal Credit. Those on State Pension, PIP, devolved Scottish disability benefits, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, and other qualifying benefits (24 in total) will receive the money automatically before Christmas if they meet eligibility criteria during a specific qualifying period, typically the first full week in December.
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. No application is needed; it goes automatically into the account where you usually receive your benefit. 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 since, and 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).
Who is eligible for the £10 Christmas Bonus?
To qualify, you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or 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 in December, but this sometimes arrives after the payment has been made.
You must also receive at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week: 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 (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes), 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 (for widows or widowers), Mobility Supplement, Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland only), Pension Credit (guarantee element), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scotland only), 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, or Widow’s Pension.
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.”
Married couples and civil partnerships
If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership, or living together as if you are, and both get a qualifying benefit, each will receive a £10 Christmas Bonus. If your partner or civil partner does not get a qualifying benefit, they may still get the 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.
You do not need to claim the Christmas Bonus—you should get it automatically. More information is available on GOV.UK.
