Millions of people receiving benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are being advised to conduct an urgent check of their bank accounts to ensure they have received a special festive payment.
What Is The DWP Christmas Bonus?
The payment in question is the one-off, tax-free £10 Christmas Bonus. This annual payment is typically made automatically to eligible claimants during the first full week of December. Government guidance confirms that individuals do not need to apply for it; it should be paid directly into their accounts.
To identify the transaction, recipients should look for a payment reference showing as 'XB' or 'DWP XB'. The money will be deposited into the same account where you normally get your benefit payments.
What To Do If The Payment Is Missing
If you believe you qualify but have not received the £10 by New Year's Day (1st January), you are urged to take action. The DWP advises contacting Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service on Friday, 2nd January.
These offices can help verify your eligibility and assist in processing any missing payment. This year, due to the Christmas bank holidays, most DWP payments due on Christmas Day (25th December) or Boxing Day (26th December) were issued early on Christmas Eve (24th December).
Who Qualifies For The £10 Payment?
Eligibility for the Christmas Bonus is based on receiving one of a specified list of benefits during the qualifying week (the first full week of December). You must also be 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar.
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
- Carer’s Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (after the initial 13-week assessment phase)
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Industrial Death Benefit
- War Widow’s or Widower’s Pension
- Unemployability Supplement
Couples who are married, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting (under certain circumstances) will both receive the payment if they are individually receiving a qualifying benefit.
With the holiday period now over, this serves as a final reminder for claimants to ensure they have received this small but significant annual bonus intended to provide a little extra support during the festive season.
