DWP bonus payments due to arrive in bank accounts before Christmas

A number of payments will be issued over the next few weeks to help low-income households and pensioners manage through winter. Some of these will be paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The support is targeted at the most vulnerable people who might need help paying bills and for other essentials. It will arrive at different times and only certain people will receive some payments, reports BirminghamLive.

Some will enter bank accounts automatically for those eligible while people will need to apply for others. Below are some of the main payments on the way over the coming weeks.

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Cost of living payments

Cost of living payments are available from local councils. They will be given to some of the worst-off households in the UK. People will need to apply to their local councils for help and need to show they are struggling to afford basic essentials like food, gas and electricity.

Winter Fuel payments

Winter Fuel Payments are being given to the poorest pensioners. They used to be paid to all pensioners, but will now only be given to those who claim Pension Credit.

They are worth either £200 or £300 depending on someone's age. The payments will be entering bank accounts between mid-November and Christmas.

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount knocks £150 off energy bills one time only between October and March. That means this support could come after Christmas for some people.

The discount is not made in the form of a cash payment but applied directly to bills as credit or a voucher. It will be applied automatically by energy companies and eligible households should be sent letters explaining what is happening.

Christmas Bonus

The Christmas Bonus is a special £10 payment sent out just before Christmas. It is given to pensioners and low-income pensioners on certain benefits, such as Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance and Carer's Allowance, and will be paid out automatically during December.

Cold Weather Payments

There is another payment which could arrive before Christmas. They are known as Cold Weather Payments but they are not guaranteed to be given out as they are dependent on the weather.

There has to be a period of sustained very cold weather for the money to be paid out to low-income pensioners and people on certain benefits. Average temperatures have to be 0C for seven consecutive days for payments to be triggered.