Some people who receive benefits from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) are set to get a Christmas bonus this year. Those who qualify will get an extra £10 in their bank account at the start of December.
Anyone who is eligible will get the payment automatically, said the DWP, with no need to claim it, reports the Mirror. Brits who are in receipt of certain benefits in the "qualifying week" - usually the first full week of December - will get the extra tenner.
However, they must also be "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week.
The following benefits qualify for the extra £10 payment:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- 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)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Credit - the guarantee element
- 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
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
The DWP says those who haven’t claimed their State Pension, and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, will not receive the bonus. The payment will not need to be claimed for, as it’ll automatically drop into bank accounts - but those who believe they qualify and receive nothing can contact the Jobcentre Plus or the Pension Service.
If you’re a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together, you can each receive the Christmas bonus - as long as you’re getting one of the qualifying benefits. But if one partner does not receive one of the qualifying benefits, they may still be eligible for the payment, as long as they meet both of the following requirements:
- You’re both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week
- 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
- The only qualifying benefit you’re getting is Pension Credit
