Millions of people claiming State Pension or certain benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) receive an extra £10 payment every December. The Christmas Bonus was introduced in 1972 and is made automatically every year.
However, a staff member for Conservative MP Matt Vickers asked DWP if it has “made an assessment of the potential merits of ending the annual £10 Christmas Bonus to pensioners and allocating the money saved elsewhere in order to alleviate current budgetary pressures”.
In a written response this week, DWP Pensions Minister Laura Trott MP, said: “The Christmas Bonus is an annual, tax-free lump sum payment to pensioners and to working age people who are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits during the relevant week which is usually the first full week in December. The Government remains committed to providing support to pensioners and others who receive the payments and has no current plans to revise the arrangements.”
Matt Vickers later informed the Record that his staff member had not been instructed to ask the "unauthorised question."
He said: “This unauthorised written question was fielded by a member of my staff through an online platform despite my explicitly saying it should not be asked and did not represent my view.
"The member of staff acted alone and is now facing appropriate disciplinary procedures.
"The House of Commons authorities are reviewing the process around the authorisation of questions and I am in dialogue with the speakers office to look at removing the question from the record”.
“I wholeheartedly support these much needed Christmas bonus payments and was extremely active in the campaign to secure the reintroduction of the triple lock”.
December may seem a long way off, and on paper it is, but in real terms of processing times for most DWP and devolved benefits which are eligible - these can take between six to 16 weeks - it might be handy to know more about the payment.
People in Scotland claiming the new Adult Disability Payment or Child Disability Payment are also eligible for the payment.
Eligibility for the DWP £10 Christmas Bonus 2023
To qualify for the Christmas Bonus in 2023 you must be living in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week, which is usually the first full week of December.
You must also get at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week:
- 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
Not everyone over State Pension age will get the payment, DWP guidance states: “If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas Bonus.”
If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together and you both get one of the qualifying benefits you will each get a Christmas Bonus payment.
How to claim
You do not need to claim the £10 Christmas Bonus - you should get it automatically.
If you think you should have received the payment for Christmas 2022, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.
Find out more about the Christmas Bonus on GOV.UK here.
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