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Tuesday, 2 October 2023

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Money, tax and benefits

Christmas Bonus

You may be able to get Christmas Bonus, the one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas. This is normally paid automatically to those customers getting a qualifying benefit in the qualifying week and who meet the residency conditions.

Who is eligible?

To get a Christmas Bonus you must be a resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any EEA country, or Switzerland. You must also be entitled to at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week (normally the first full week of December):

Attendance Allowance
Carer's Allowance
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
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 if over State Pension age
War Widow's Pension
Widowed Mother's Allowance
Widowed Parent's Allowance
Widow's Pension

Please note, you will not qualify for the Christmas Bonus on the basis of State Pension entitlement if you are deferring your State Pension claim.

Attendance Allowance

Constant Attendance Allowance

Disability Living Allowance

How much do you get?

Christmas Bonus is normally a one-off payment of £10.

If you're part of a married or unmarried couple or civil partnership and both of you are entitled to one of the qualifying benefits you'll each get a Christmas Bonus payment.

Your partner or civil partner will also get payments if both the following apply:

you're both over State Pension age by the start of the qualifying week
your partner or civil partner was also resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, EEA country or Switzerland at the start of 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

Pension Credit

How it's paid

Christmas Bonus is usually paid directly into your bank, building society, Post Office® or National Savings account that accepts Direct Payment.

If you're registered blind or need someone who cares for you to collect your money, you'll be sent a cheque to be cashed at the Post Office®.

Effect on benefits

The Christmas Bonus payment will not affect other benefits you may be getting.

How to claim

You don't need to claim Christmas Bonus - you should get it automatically. If you think you qualify for the payment but haven't got it, speak to the Jobcentre Plus or pension centre that deals with your payments.