Millions of Britons will receive a tax-free £10 Christmas bonus from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) this year, with the full list of those eligible now confirmed. The bonus is paid automatically each year to people receiving certain government benefits, and no claim is required.
Those who believe they qualify but have not received the payment by 1 January should contact the Jobcentre Plus office that handles their payments or the Pension Service. According to the DWP, married couples, civil partners, or people living together who both receive a qualifying benefit will each get a separate Christmas Bonus payment.
Partner eligibility rules
If a partner or civil partner does not receive one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas Bonus if both conditions are met: both are over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week, and the partner or civil partner was present or ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, a European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week.
In addition, one of the following must apply: the claimant is entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for their partner or civil partner, or the only qualifying benefit they receive is Pension Credit.
Qualifying week and benefits list
To receive the DWP Christmas Bonus this year, recipients must be present or ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, which is usually the first full week of December. They must also receive at least one of the following benefits in that week:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- 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 of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- 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
The payment is automatic for those eligible, and no application is needed.
