Households on benefits and Universal Credit can get Christmas bonus this month – find out if you’re eligible

HARD-UP households who claim benefits may be entitled to a benefits boost over the Christmas period with a bonus payment.

The one-off tax-free payment is worth £10 and will arrive in your bank account before December 25.

Not everyone will be able to get the extra cash though as it's only available to those who claim certain benefits.

Here's everything you need to know about the Christmas cash boost:

What is the Christmas Bonus?

The Christmas Bonus is an extra payment given to households who claim specific benefits.

It's worth £10 and is usually paid in the first full week of December - this is called the qualifying week.

The payment won't affect any other benefits that you get.

So for example, if you're claiming Universal Credit, the added payment won't increase your income during that assessment period and lower your benefits in turn.

Instead, they will stay the same as they normally are.

The payment is designed to help those receiving benefits or the State Pension to cover the extra costs of the festive season.

Who can claim the Christmas Bonus?

Only those who live in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the week when the payment is due.

You must also be claiming one of the benefits below during the December payment week:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• 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
• 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

Unfortunately, those on Universal Credit won't be automatically entitled to the payment unless they also get one of the above benefits.

So only those who claim PIP and contribuition-based ESA payments will therefore be eligible.

If you're part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits than you'll each get a bonus payment.

If your partner doesn't get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the extra payment if:

• You're both over State Pension age by the end of the first full week in December,
• You're both a resident of the qualifying regions by the end of the first full week in December,
• 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.

How do I claim it?

You don't need to do anything to claim the Christmas Bonus as you should get it automatically.

The money will be transferred into the bank account that your benefits are normally paid into.