When DWP pays Christmas bonus - full list of benefits that qualify for payment
by Levi Winchester · ChronicleLiveThe Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to distribute its annual Christmas bonus to millions of claimants receiving specific benefits. The bonus will be £10, and recipients do not need to apply for it as it's issued automatically.
It's also tax-free and won't have an impact on any other benefits being claimed. Those eligible should generally receive the bonus at the beginning of December, although no specific date is guaranteed.
The latest the payment should arrive is by December 31. If you haven't received the bonus by January 1, the DWP recommends contacting your local Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service.
It's important to check bank statements for "DWP XB", indicating that the bonus has been paid. Eligibility requires one to be claiming from a list of certain benefits during the DWP's stipulated "qualifying week".
These include Adult Disability Payment, Armed Forces Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Child Disability Payment, and others outlined by the DWP, reports the Mirror.
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Eligible individuals including pensioners could receive a Christmas bonus from the government; however, to qualify for this payout, recipients must be receiving certain benefits such as Pension Credit - the guarantee element, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), State Pension (which includes the 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 during the first full week of December. Applicants must also be present or "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar throughout that week.
For couples who are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting, both partners may receive the bonus if eligible. If one doesn't receive the listed benefits, they can still be considered if both individuals are over State Pension age and "ordinarily resident" within specified regions, which now include the European Economic Area (EEA) countries or Switzerland, provided they're entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for their partner.
Families have previously criticised the Christmas bonus, labelling it as an "insult", because the payment has remained unchanged since its introduction, except for a temporary increase to £70 in 2008 during the financial crisis before being reverted to £10 the next year.
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