DWP urged to change 'insulting' rule which has stayed same for 52 years

The Department for Work and Pensions faces a petition to increase a £10 payment to claimants for the Christmas Bonus. The petition has gained thousands of new signatures since the Labour Party government cracked down on the winter fuel payment, which is worth £300.

The DWP is urged to increase the December bonus, paid to certain benefit recipients, in line with inflation. It has remained unchanged at £10 for the past 52 years. More than 1,400 people signed it on Thursday, pushing the number of signatures up to 16,851.

Petition creator Shona McMahon said she was “astonished” by the renewed interest and said it is “now more than ever needed due to the vote to make the winter fuel payment means tested only”. You must also be in receipt of at least one of the following benefits in the “qualifying week” – normally the first full week of December:

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• Adult Disability Payment

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

• Attendance Allowance

• Carer’s Allowance

• Carer Support Payment

• 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

The guidance also adds: “If you have not claimed your state pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas bonus.” If the bonus had gone up in line with inflation, then petition creator Shona pointed out this week that the sum would now be £113.18.