The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a special one-off payment for millions of benefit recipients across the United Kingdom this festive season.
Automatic Payment for Eligible Claimants
Approximately 24 million people who receive at least one qualifying benefit will receive a tax-free £10 Christmas Bonus. The key advantage is that you do not need to apply for this payment; it will be sent automatically into the account where you normally get your benefits.
The DWP expects to make all payments before 1 January 2026, though it will likely arrive in December. This payment is separate from your regular benefit or State Pension payment, so it may appear in your bank account on a different day.
Eligibility and Qualifying Week
To receive the bonus, you must meet two main criteria. Firstly, you must be present or 'ordinarily resident' in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during the specific qualifying period. This is typically the first full week of December, expected to be 1-7 December (awaiting final confirmation).
Secondly, you must be receiving at least one of the 23 qualifying benefits during that same week. The payment will typically appear on your bank statement as 'DWP XB'.
List of Qualifying Benefits
The DWP has confirmed that people receiving any of the following benefits during the qualifying week will be eligible for the £10 payment:
- Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment (Scotland only)
- Child Disability Payment (Scotland only)
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (after the first 13 weeks)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland only)
- Pension Credit - the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance
- War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
It is important to note that Universal Credit is not included in the list of qualifying benefits for this particular payment.
The DWP will send letters to eligible claimants to inform them about the bonus, but be aware that this notification can sometimes arrive after the payment has already been made into your account.
