The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is preparing a seasonal update that will affect a large number of benefit recipients across the UK this winter. While full details are expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks, early information points to a measure that has been in place for several years.
DevonLive reports that qualifying individuals won’t need to take any action to access the support, which is processed automatically through existing channels. Eligibility will depend on specific criteria applied during a particular period in December. The initiative is expected to follow previous formats, though exact dates may vary.
DWP to Issue £10 Bonus Automatically Before Christmas
The UK government will issue a £10 one-off Christmas bonus to millions of people receiving state support this December. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that the payment will be made automatically to those eligible, with no need to apply.
This annual DWP cash payment is a small but consistent measure intended to help benefit recipients during the holiday season. It won’t affect other benefits, and will be paid directly into the usual bank accounts of qualifying individuals. On bank statements, it will appear as “DWP XB”.
Qualifying Week, Eligibility Rules, and Official DWP Guidance
To receive the bonus, individuals must be present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK during the qualifying week, which the DWP defines as “usually the first full week of December”.
As the department’s guidance states:
You do not need to claim – you should get paid automatically.
Eligibility is strictly tied to being in receipt of at least one of a long list of state benefits during that week. The DWP also notes:
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.
Complete List of Eligible Benefits
To qualify for the Christmas bonus, claimants must receive at least one of the following 24 eligible benefits during the qualifying week:
- 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 (ESA) (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
- Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit – the guarantee element
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
- State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
- 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
Anyone who doesn’t receive one of these benefits during the qualifying week will not be eligible for the £10 bonus, even if they receive other forms of support or are above retirement age.
When to Expect the Payment and How It Will Be Processed
Payments will start appearing in accounts from mid-December and continue throughout the month, aligning with each person’s existing benefits schedule. No further action is required, and the bonus does not affect other DWP entitlements.
Claimants should look for the payment reference “DWP XB” on their bank statements. If it doesn’t arrive by the end of the month, it’s advisable to contact the appropriate benefit office.
While £10 may not go far in today’s economy, this small DWP cash payment serves as a reminder of the quiet support mechanisms still operating for those reliant on the welfare system—especially during a time of rising costs and winter pressures.
