Government to give out £10 bonus payment to millions receiving benefits ahead of Christmas

Millions of people who get particular benefits will receive an extra payment for Christmas. The one-off £10 payment is supposed to help with costs over the festive period.

It will be paid into the bank accounts of those eligible automatically. The tax-free Christmas bonus will be £10 and is usually made in the first full week of December and it doesn't need to be repaid.

In order to receive the bonus, you must be a resident in the UK, Channel Island, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week. You must also get at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week - which is normally the first full week of December.

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If you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas bonus, reports WalesOnline.

You don't need to do anything - you should get the £10 paid to you directly. If you think you should get it, but have not received it, contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are normally paid into an account, such as your bank account. It may show up as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement.

The bonus will not affect any other benefits you get.

If you’re 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’ll each get a Christmas bonus payment.

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:

and either:

Find out more about the Christmas bonus on the government's website.

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