Brits on PIP and Pension Credit to get bonus DWP payment in coming weeks

People claiming PIP, Pension Credit and a number of other benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions could be eligible for a cash top-up in the first week of December. With 3.4 million people claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and a further 1.6 receiving Pension Credit this means over 5 million Brits will be getting an unexpected bonus.

The annual payment is known as the DWP Christmas bonus and will see eligible claimants receiving £10. The payment should be made automatically into the bank account you receive your other benefit payments into with the reference DWP XB.

While it’s usually made during the first week of December, claimants should only worry if they are eligible and haven’t received the bonus by January 1. In this case, they can contact the Jobcentre Plus office or Pension Service that deals with their other benefits.

The bonus will not affect your other benefit payments but Brits are requested to flag with the Jobcentre Plus office or Pension Service that deals with their benefits if they receive more than one £10 bonus. To be eligible you must be claiming one of the qualifying benefits and have been “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, EEA countries or Switzerland during the qualifying week.

The qualifying benefits include:

• 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 of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
• Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Pension Credit - the guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
• Disability Living Allowance
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension
• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance

If you’re a married couple, in a civil partnership or living with your partner as if you are then you may both be entitled to separate bonus payments if you qualify individually. If your partner does not receive one of the qualifying benefits they could still get the bonus if you were both over the state pension age by the end of the qualifying week, “ordinarily resident” in the qualifying countries and your benefit entitles you to an increase because of them or you’re receiving Pension Credit.