State pensioners face blow as ‘no current plans’ to increase £10 Christmas Bonus | Personal Finance | Finance
The Christmas Bonus is an annual payment provided to people in receipt of the state pension or certain benefits. With Christmas 2022 already having passed, people should have received the bonus.
To check, people can look for the DWP XB reference on their bank account.
The Christmas Bonus is a £10 one-off, tax-free payment, issued every year, typically on the first week of September.
However, the sum has not changed since it was first introduced in 1972, and inflation has ravaged it.
As a result, the £10 sum will not stretch as far as it once did, and many have called for it to be increased.
READ MORE: Good news for pensioners as 2023 set to be ‘better’ than last year
Recently, a number of Express.co.uk readers expressed their dissatisfaction with the sum.
CharlieKat said: “It started as a bonus – now it’s just an insult.”
NorthernGeezer remarked: “Shafted AGAIN!”
While Jo Blogs wrote: “Scandalous! Doesn’t cover the postage of the letter to tell you when you are going to be getting it!”
However, not everyone agreed, with Goodnessme stating: “I’m grateful for the extra £10 – stop moaning!”
A DWP spokesperson recently told Express.co.uk: “We know that Christmas is a time that can stretch budgets which is why we offer those on certain benefits a £10 bonus and pay many people their benefits earlier than usual, helping them over the festive period.”
