The £10 Christmas Bonus: who qualifies and when it is paid

Just before Christmas, the government makes a small one-off payment to some pensioners and people on certain benefits — the Christmas Bonus. The amount is small, the money arrives on its own with no application, and many people simply do not know they qualify. Here is what GOV.UK says about who gets it, when it is paid and what to do if it never arrived.

What is the Christmas Bonus and how much is it?

It is a one-off, tax-free payment of £10 that the government pays before Christmas. It does not affect any other benefits you get. The bonus lands in the same account where your pension or benefit is paid, as a separate line. On a bank statement it may show as "DWP XB" — the Christmas Bonus from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

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Who qualifies?

You qualify if, during the "qualifying week" (normally the first full week of December), you get at least one benefit from the official list. These include: State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit); the guarantee element of Pension Credit; Personal Independence Payment (PIP); Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and its Scottish equivalents; Attendance Allowance; Carer's Allowance (and Carer Support Payment in Scotland); contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) once the main phase begins after the first 13 weeks; Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate; Severe Disablement Allowance; Armed Forces Independence Payment; and several widows' and war pensions such as Widowed Parent's Allowance, Widowed Mother's Allowance, Widow's Pension and War Widow's Pension.

Note: Universal Credit is not on the list — on its own it does not give a right to the Christmas Bonus. The full list of qualifying benefits is on the GOV.UK eligibility page.

What is the "qualifying week" and the residence rule?

The qualifying week is normally the first full week of December. To get the bonus you must be "present or ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during that week. If you live in a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, the rules differ and should be checked against the separate GOV.UK guidance on benefits for UK nationals abroad.

Do you need to claim it?

No. You do not need to claim the Christmas Bonus — you should get it automatically if you receive a qualifying benefit in the qualifying week. There is no form to fill in and no call to make.

What if it did not arrive?

If you think you should have had the bonus but have not received it by 1 January, contact the office that handles your payments. For benefits that is the Jobcentre Plus office dealing with your payments; for the State Pension it is the Pension Service. Contact details for both are on GOV.UK. The sum is small, but it is your money and worth chasing.