DWP to pay Christmas bonus to state pensioners - despite axing Winter Fuel Payment

Those who assertion the authorities pension volition beryllium eligible for the Christmas bonus from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - but the outgo has sparked disapproval arsenic it is worthy conscionable £10

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) volition wage a Christmas bonus to authorities pensioners earlier the extremity of this twelvemonth - contempt axing the Winter Fuel Payment.

The Christmas bonus is worthy £10 and is paid to eligible households astatine the commencement of December. But families person often slammed it arsenic "a joke" and "an insult" arsenic the outgo has not ever been permanently accrued since its motorboat successful 1972. It was concisely raised to £70 successful 2008 to enactment radical during the fiscal clang but was reduced backmost to £10 the pursuing year.

Brits who person 1 of the pursuing benefits successful the "qualifying week" - which is usually the archetypal afloat week of December - volition spot the bonus paid automatically into their slope account. This includes radical who assertion the authorities pension - which means older Brits who volition miss retired connected the Winter Fuel Payment this twelvemonth volition inactive get the Christmas bonus.

Do you deliberation the £10 Christmas bonus is enough? Let america know: [email protected]

• Adult Disability Payment

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

• Attendance Allowance

• Carer’s Allowance

• Child Disability Payment

• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid nether Industrial Injuries oregon War Pensions schemes)

• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main signifier of the payment is entered aft the archetypal 13 weeks of claim)

• Disability Living Allowance

• Incapacity Benefit astatine the semipermanent rate

• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows oregon widowers)

• Mobility Supplement

• Pension Credit - the warrant element

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)

• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)

• Unemployability Supplement oregon Allowance (paid nether Industrial Injuries oregon War Pensions schemes)

• War Disablement Pension astatine State Pension age

• War Widow’s Pension

• Widowed Mother’s Allowance

• Widowed Parent’s Allowance

• Widow’s Pension

You indispensable besides beryllium contiguous oregon "ordinarily resident" successful the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man oregon Gibraltar during the qualifying week. If you’re a joined couple, successful a civilian concern oregon surviving together, it is imaginable for some of you to get the Christmas bonus. You each request to beryllium claiming 1 of the qualifying benefits.

If you’re entitled to the £10 cash, past it should get paid automatically - you won’t request to use for it. The Christmas outgo whitethorn amusement up arsenic "DWP XB" connected your slope statement, is tax-free, and does not impact immoderate of your different benefits. If 1 spouse does not person 1 of the qualifying benefits, they whitethorn inactive beryllium eligible for the payment, arsenic agelong arsenic they conscionable some of the pursuing requirements:

• You’re some implicit State Pension property by the extremity of the qualifying week

• Your spouse oregon civilian spouse was besides contiguous (or ‘ordinarily resident’) successful the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) state oregon Switzerland during the qualifying week

And either:

• You’re entitled to an summation of a qualifying payment for your spouse oregon civilian partner

• The lone qualifying payment you’re getting is Pension Credit