The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed that people who claim Universal Credit will not be eligible for its £10 Christmas Bonus unless they also receive another qualifying benefit.
The one-off boost will be paid automatically prior to Christmas to people who receive specific benefits during the qualifying week in early December, as reported by Devon Live.
A spokesperson for the DWP stated: “People claiming Universal Credits will only be entitled to the £10 Christmas bonus if they’re also claiming one of the qualifying benefits alongside their UC claim. Claiming UC benefits alone isn’t enough to qualify for the payment.”
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In order to receive the additional £10 boost, claimants must be in the UK during the qualifying week, or must be 'ordinarily resident'. The payment may appear as ‘DWP XB’ on a bank statement.
The list of qualifying benefits is as follows:
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
According to the DWP: “You do not need to claim the Christmas Bonus - you should get it automatically. If you think you should get it, but have not, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.
“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 UK Government department states that if you or your partner does not claim one of the qualifying benefits, you may still be eligible for the bonus if both of the following are true:
you’re both above the 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.
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