Millions of people across the United Kingdom who receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are being advised to verify whether they have received their annual Christmas bonus payment.
Have You Received Your £10 Payment?
The tax-free £10 Christmas bonus is typically paid automatically at the start of December. However, if you have not seen the payment in your account by now, you are encouraged to take action. The payment should appear on bank statements as "DWP XB".
Official guidance on GOV.UK states: "If you think you should get it, but have not by 1 January, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service." It is crucial to get in touch with the office that handles your specific benefit claim if the payment is missing.
Qualifying Benefits and Eligibility Rules
To be eligible for the bonus, you must have been receiving one of a number of specified benefits during the first full week of December, known as the qualifying week. You must also have been present or 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during that time.
The extensive list of qualifying benefits includes:
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Adult Disability Payment
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (after the initial 13-week assessment phase)
- and several other industrial injury, war pension, and widow-related benefits.
For couples, both partners can receive the bonus if they each claim a qualifying benefit. If one partner does not, they may still be eligible if both are over State Pension age and meet certain residency and benefit linkage conditions.
A Payment Frozen in Time Amid Rising Costs
The bonus has faced significant criticism for its stagnant value. At £10, the payment has not been permanently increased since its introduction in 1972. The only exception was a temporary rise to £70 in 2008 during the financial crisis, before it was reduced back to £10 the following year.
Many recipients and commentators have labelled the unchanged sum as an "insult" given the current context of high inflation and soaring living costs. The payment is designed to provide a small financial boost during the festive period but its purchasing power has drastically diminished over the decades.
The bonus does not affect the amount you receive for any other benefits and is paid separately. If you believe you meet the criteria but have not received your £10, it is important to contact the DWP via the correct office without delay to query the missing payment.
