DWP gives important update on Christmas Bonuses

An important update about a £10 "Christmas Bonus" for claimants has been given by the Department for Work and Pensions. It comes after persistent campaigning and increasing calls for action.

A payment date for the DWP Christmas Bonus 2024 has been disclosed, in anticipation of the one-time benefit. The Christmas Bonus will be a single payment of £10 given to eligible recipients of certain benefits during the qualifying week, typically the first week of December.

Those expecting their DWP Christmas Bonus can anticipate receiving it at the beginning of next month. The update follows a push for a raise, noting that the £10 bonus has not changed since its inception in the 1970s. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox

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More than 20,000 individuals have backed a petition demanding an increase, arguing that with the cost of living on the rise and other benefits like the winter fuel payment reaching fewer people, a boost is more crucial than ever.

Shona McMahon, the petition founder, said: "Christmas is THE most expensive time of the year. Pensioners, the vulnerable and people like myself, disabled, could do with an extra boost at this time of year, especially as the energy assistance has been axed."

A DWP spokesperson stated: "We know that Christmas is a time when people stretch their budgets, which is why we pay many people their benefits earlier than usual, helping them prepare for the festive period," reports Birmingham Live.

The spokesperson said: "We're focused on supporting people year-round through a new system which offers better personalised support for people out of work as well as those in work on a low income."

They continued: "We are taking immediate action to turn around the dire inheritance we face - with more people living in poverty now than 14 years ago. This includes extending the Household Support Fund for the most vulnerable, kickstarting work to develop a strategy to reduce child poverty and taking the first steps towards delivering a genuine living wage for working people."

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