In the first week of December 2025, a one-off tax-free Christmas Bonus will be issued to millions of individuals across the UK who receive a DWP benefit. The Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that this annual payment will be made automatically and does not require any formal application.
According to DevonLive, eligible recipients will see the payment appear separately from their usual benefits, and it is expected to reach accounts shortly before Christmas. The measure applies under specific conditions linked to benefit entitlement during a defined qualifying week, but further details about eligibility and timing remain standard year over year.
Who Will Receive the Bonus
The Christmas Bonus is available to people living in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or Gibraltar who are receiving at least one of a list of qualifying DWP benefits during the official qualifying week. According to Gov.uk, this week is usually the first full week of December.
On its official site, Gov.uk states:
The Christmas Bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week. This is normally the first full week of December. You do not need to claim – you should get paid automatically.
The bonus appears as a separate payment on bank statements, labeled DWP XB, and is not deducted from other benefits or taxable income.
Qualifying DWP Benefits
The following DWP benefits qualify for the bonus, provided they are being received 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 (under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
- Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (after the main phase, i.e. beyond 13 weeks)
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit (long-term rate)
- Industrial Death Benefit
- Mobility Supplement
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit (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
- War Disablement Pension (at State Pension age)
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Mother’s Allowance
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- Widow’s Pension
If you are receiving any of these DWP benefits, and meet the residency and timing requirements, the payment will be made automatically.
What Happens for Couples or Civil Partners
Couples may each receive a Christmas Bonus, even if only one person receives a qualifying benefit, provided certain criteria are met. You must be married, in a civil partnership, or living together as if you were. Both individuals must have been ordinarily resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, an EEA country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week.
In addition, both must be over State Pension age by the end of that week. One of the following conditions must also apply: either the claimant is entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for their partner, or their only qualifying benefit is Pension Credit.
When to Expect the Payment
The £10 payment is scheduled for the first full week of December 2025, typically without any delay. Since the bonus is paid separately from your regular DWP benefits, it will show as a distinct line on your bank statement under the label DWP XB.
It is intended to arrive just before Christmas, providing minor financial relief during the festive period.
What to Do if the Bonus Doesn’t Arrive
If you believe you are eligible but have not received the bonus by 1 January 2026, it is recommended that you first check your bank statement carefully for a separate transaction marked DWP XB.
If no such payment appears, you should then contact your local Jobcentre Plus, the Pension Service, or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) directly to inquire. As noted by The Mirror, millions are expected to benefit from this payment, but eligibility remains strictly tied to receiving a qualifying DWP benefit during the designated week.
Background of the Christmas Bonus
The £10 Christmas Bonus was first introduced in 1972 by the Conservative government of Edward Heath as a response to high inflation and increased holiday costs for those on state support. Though the amount has never been increased in over five decades, it has been paid every year since its inception.
The measure remains a symbolic support payment, offering a small gesture of seasonal assistance to those on long-term DWP benefits, even as its real-world purchasing power has declined.
