The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued an official response to a public outcry over the long-standing £10 Christmas Bonus paid to those on benefits, dismissing calls for a significant increase.
Public Petition Demands Inflation-Linked Increase
More than 20,600 people have backed an online petition calling for the annual payment to be raised to £165. The petition argues that the bonus has remained frozen for over five decades, failing to keep pace with the rising cost of living.
Petition creator Shona McMahon voiced the frustration of many, stating: “Christmas is THE most expensive time of year! Pensioners, the vulnerable & people like myself, disabled, could do with an extra boost at this time of year, especially as the energy assistance has been axed.”
She expressed shock that the £10 Christmas Bonus has not changed since it was first introduced in 1972, a period spanning more than 50 years.
DWP's Official Stance on the Christmas Bonus
In its response, a DWP spokesperson defended the government's broader approach to support, without committing to an increase in the bonus. The spokesperson stated: “We are taking immediate action to turn around the dire inheritance we face - with more people living in poverty now than 14 years ago.”
The department pointed to other measures, including extending the Household Support Fund for the most vulnerable and initial work on a child poverty strategy.
The Real Value of the £10 Payment
A separate petition on the Parliamentary website highlights the dramatic devaluation of the bonus. It explains that when inflation is taken into account, the £10 payment from 1972 should be worth around £130 today.
The petition describes the current £10 bonus as “measly” and “almost insulting”, equating its original value to just 76p in today's money. It concludes with a powerful message: “Disabled and low-income people deserve better.”
With the DWP's refusal to uplift the payment, the controversial £10 Christmas Bonus will remain a symbolic, yet financially insignificant, gesture for another year.
