The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to distribute a one-off Christmas bonus to millions of eligible beneficiaries. The government department will provide a top-up of £10 to some people who claim one of the eligible benefits, in a bid to offer additional support over the festive period.

Benefits include, among others, Carer’s Allowance, Pension Credit, Personal Independence Payments (PIP). Payment will be made automatically, so applicants will not need to submit an application.

Payment is expected to arrive at the beginning of December, so a few weeks before Christmas. Those who qualify should automatically receive the payment in their bank account from the start of next month, with ‘DWP XB’ being the descriptor appearing on bank statements for this payment.

If someone believes it is due but does not receive payment by the end of December, the DWP encourages contact from January 1st, by which time all payments should have been made. To qualify for the DWP Christmas Bonus, you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the first full week of December, which serves as your qualifying week.

Eligible individuals must be beneficiaries of one of the following:

• Pension credit (the guarantee element)
• Adult Disability Payment
• State pension (including phased retirement benefit)
• War widow’s pension
• Constant Care allowance (paid under work injury or war pension schemes)
• Unemployability supplement or allowance (paid under work accident or war pension schemes)
• Care allowance
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Living allowance for disabled people
• Disability payment linked to retirement age
• Mobility supplement
• Disability payment for children
• Widowed mother’s allowance
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Incapacity benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial death benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claiming)
• Severe disability allowance (temporarily protected)
• Carer’s Allowance
• Payment of assistance to carers
• Widow’s pension
• Allowance for widowed parents
• War disability pension State pension age

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) added: “If you have not claimed your State pension and are not entitled to any of the other eligible benefits, you will not receive a Christmas bonus.

Additionally, for married, civil partnership or cohabiting couples, where both people receive a qualifying benefit, each can expect their own Christmas bonus payment.

Can I receive more than £10?

The Christmas bonus is a one-off payment of £10. Recently, disgruntled benefit claimants have urged the government to increase this amount, arguing that a mere £10 payment is an “insult” in the face of the current situation. cost of living crisis.

It has regularly been argued that the Christmas bonus would be worth much more today if it had risen with inflation since its inception in the 1970s, with some arguing it should now exceed £100.