Millions to receive DWP Christmas bonus: Full eligibility details and key dates

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to pay out its annual Christmas bonus to millions of people claiming certain benefits. The one-off festive gift worth £10 will be landing in bank account's automatically, with no need to put in a claim.

The cash is tax-free and doesn't affect any other benefits you are claiming. Typically, the bonus is paid to all those who are eligible at the start of December, with no specific date spelled out for its arrival.

However, it should appear in your account by December 31 at the latest. If you haven't had the funds by January 1, the DWP advises contacting the Jobcentre Plus office that handles your benefit payments, or to contact the Pension Service if you receive a Government pension.

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The Christmas bonus will appear as 'DWP XB' on your bank statement. To qualify, you must be claiming one of these specified benefits during the qualifying week, which is usually the first full week of December:

• Adult Disability Payment

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

• Attendance Allowance

• Carer’s Allowance

• 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.

You must also be present or "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week. Married couples, civil partners or cohabiting individuals can both receive the Christmas bonus if they qualify.

Even if one partner does not receive any of the specified benefits, they may still qualify if both partners are above state pension age and are ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, an European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland. Additionally, they must be eligible for an increase in a qualifying benefit for their partner or civil partner, or their only qualifying benefit is Pension Credit.

In the past, families have expressed dissatisfaction with the Christmas bonus, branding it an 'insult' since it has never been increased since its introduction. Although it was temporarily raised to £70 in 2008 to aid individuals during the financial crisis, it was reduced back to £10 the following year.