DWP Christmas cost of living bonus payment and the 21 benefits eligible for it

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be handing out a cost of living Christmas bonus to anyone receiving one of 21 qualifying benefits.

Millions of people will be eligible to receive the tax-free payment if they are among the eligible recipients. This includes those claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and the state pension.

However, if you are eligible you should not need to claim the cash – you should get it automatically, reports Lancs Live.

The payment, which is made annually, is usually given in the “first full week” of December and is designed to help people with extra costs during the festive season. The payment was first introduced as part of the Pensioners’ and Family Income Supplement Payments Act in 1972.

In 2008 the payment was increased to £70 to support people, but for decades it has just been £10.

Over the years, the payment has received criticism. Last year, when the UK faced the biggest cost of living crisis in decades, the one-off payment was described as “a joke” by some people getting the extra £10.

Who can get the Christmas bonus?

The DWP will once again pay the cash this year to people who live or are a “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar receiving one of the qualifying benefits. According to the DWP website, these include:

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)
DLA
Incapacity benefit at the long-term rate
Industrial death benefit (for widows or widowers)
Mobility supplement
Pension Credit (the guarantee element)
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

You should be aware that Universal Credit is not included on the list of eligibility benefits for the Christmas Bonus. The DWP also 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.

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: