DWP Christmas Bonus: How can I get my Christmas Bonus, when will the money be transferred and who is eligible for a Christmas Bonus from government?
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are providing a Christmas Bonus for people on certain benefits amid the cost of living crisis – here is everything you need to know.
The DWP manages the welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy and administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to roughly 20 million claimants and customers. The bonus being offered this festive season is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week.
The DWP provides services through various networks including Jobcentre Plus, The Pension Service, the Child Maintenance Service and partner organisations. The government department deals with carers and disability benefits including Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Just like with all government funds, the Christmas Bonus is only available to a select number of people listed below. If you are 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 will each get a Christmas Bonus payment.
How and when do I get the DWP Christmas Bonus?
You do not need to claim the payment, you should get it transferred automatically.
All government benefits, pensions and allowances are usually paid into an account, eg. your bank account. It may show up as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank account statement.
Benefits are normally paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account and if your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday, you will usually be paid on the working day before. However, this may be different for tax credits and Child Benefit.
Some payments will be paid earlier if they are due between December 26, 2022 and January 3, 2023. You should tell the office that pays your benefit if you do not get your payment on the due date.
Your payment is due on Monday, December 26; Tuesday, December 27; Wednesday, December 28; Monday, January 2, 2023 and Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Who is eligible for the DWP Christmas Bonus?
To receive a Christmas Bonus you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, which is normally the first full week of December.
If you live in or are moving to a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, you can find out about benefits for UK nationals in the EU, EEA and Switzerland by visiting the DWP website.
In order to get the Christmas Bonus, you must get at least one of the following benefits in the ‘qualifying week’.
– Adult Disability Payment
– Armed Forces Independence Payment
– 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)
– 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
– Widowed Mother’s Allowance
– Widowed Parent’s Allowance
If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you are not eligible for a Christmas Bonus.
If your partner or civil partner does not get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas Bonus if both the following apply:
– You are 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, EEA country or Switzerland during the qualifying week.
– You are entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner.
– The only qualifying benefit you are getting is Pension Credit.
