People on 21 DWP benefits will wake up to 'bonus' payment which is 'automatic'

A Christmas bonus will be paid to DWP benefits claimants as we head deeper into the winter months.

People on Department for Work and Pensions benefits will wake up to a "bonus" which is automatic in their bank accounts. A Christmas bonus will be paid to DWP benefits claimants as we head deeper into the winter months.

A total of 22 benefits are eligible for the £10 payment, however, those claiming Universal Credit, a group that includes 6.7 million people, do not qualify. The eligible benefits include Adult disability payment and Armed Forces independence payment.

Other qualifying benefits include Attendance allowance, Carer’s allowance, Child disability payment, Constant attendance allowance (paid under industrial injuries or war pensions schemes) and Contribution-based employment and support allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim).

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Other benefits which qualify include Disability living allowance, Incapacity benefit at the long-term rate, Industrial death benefit (for widows or widowers), Mobility supplement, Pension credit (the guarantee element) and Personal independence payment (PIP).

State pension (including 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 and War widow’s pension complete the list.

Widowed mother’s allowance, Widowed parent’s allowance and Widow’s pension are also qualifications. If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits you’ll each get a Christmas Bonus payment.

The £10 will arrive in bank accounts before Christmas and those eligible should get it automatically so you do not need to claim it. It usually is paid into the bank account where you get your normal benefits paid and normally shows up as "DWP XB" on your bank statement.

If your partner or civil partner doesn’t get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas Bonus if both the following apply: you’re both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week and your partner or civil partner was also present (or ‘ordinarily resident’) in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland during the qualifying week, and either you’re entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner or the only qualifying benefit you’re getting is Pension Credit.