The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will issue its regular Christmas bonus to benefit claimants this December - but this won't include those on Universal Credit.
The DWP Christmas bonus is worth just £10 and has been slammed in the past for being "a joke" and "not worth" being sent. It was first introduced in 1972 and has never been permanently increased. It was temporarily raised to £70 in 2008 to support people during the financial crash but was reduced back to £10 the following year.
The will be paid to people who live or are "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar receiving one of the qualifying benefits. A total of 22 benefits are eligible for the £10 payment, however, this does not include more than six million people who claim Universal Credit. The eligible benefits 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)
Disability living allowance
Incapacity benefit at the long-term rate
Industrial death benefit (for widows or widowers)
Mobility supplement
Pension credit (the guarantee element)
Personal independence payment (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
Is £10 enough to help this winter? Let us know your thoughts: mirror.money.saving@mirror.co.uk
The DWP says those who have deferred their state pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits, will not receive the bonus. If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as such and you both get one of the qualifying benefits, you will 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 of the following apply:
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:
You’re entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner
The only qualifying benefit you’re getting is Pension Credit
You will need to be claiming your benefits during the qualifying week in order to get the bonus. This is usually the first full week of December. The money is normally sent automatically to bank accounts of those who are eligible at the start of December. You do not need to claim it.
It usually is paid into the bank account where you get your normal benefits paid and normally shows up as "DWP XB" on your bank statement. If you think you are eligible for the bonus but don't get it this year, DWP guidance suggests contacting the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments, or the pension service.
Mirror readers have contacted this newspaper to call for the rate to be lifted this year, particularly as millions of state pensioners have lost their Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300. One Mirror reader said: "How on earth is this going to make any difference to my life or the lives of the poor pensioners who have been forgotten and thrown aside?"
Another said: "It is like a joke. I am going to send my 'bonus' to the PM. Maybe that little amount supports his family during Christmas but I know it won't be able to support mine." A third told us: "Not worth the bother and expense to send. The Tooth Fairy is just as generous!"