Easy check DWP claimants must make or miss out on December payment

Two million people must make an easy check now or risk missing out on a December payment from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ). Two million people eligible for the Department for Work and Pensions Christmas cash boost must make an easy check or risk missing out.

The £10 bonus is available to those claiming certain benefits within a given "qualifying week". This year, the qualifying week is set for the week commencing December 2 - in just a few days' time - so people will need to check whether they are claiming the relevant benefit by the end of next week if they want to receive the cash.

Couples can each get a £10 Christmas bonus if they each get a qualifying benefit. You do not need to claim the Christmas bonus, which should be paid automatically into your bank account. The bonus does not affect any other benefits, and is tax free.

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The payment should show up as 'DWP XB' on your bank statements. However, to get the Christmas bonus you have to be living in, or 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the 'qualifying week' - the first week of December.

If you get one of the following benefits then you should get the Christmas bonus in the first week of December:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer's Allowance
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid for industrial injuries or War Pensions )
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
• 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)
• State Pension
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid for industrial injuries or War Pensions )
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow's Pension
• Widowed Mother's Allowance
• Widowed Parent's Allowance
• Widow's Pension