PIP claimants to get Christmas bonus cash payment from DWP in December

People claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will soon receive a Christmas bonus payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

PIP is a benefit that is awarded to people who have an illness, disability or mental health condition that affects their day-to-day life. If you are in receipt of this welfare payment, then you will get a Christmas bonus from the DWP worth £10.

The money is normally paid at the start of December. In order to get the Christmas bonus, you must be claiming PIP in the qualifying week, which changes every year but it normally the first full week of December.

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If you are due the DWP Christmas bonus, you have to be in receipt of one of the following benefits in the qualifying week. The qualifying week is usually the first full week of December.

You must also be present or "ordinarily resident" in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week. The money is paid automatically - so you won’t need to apply for it. It should show as " DWP XB" on your bank statement.

The money is tax-free, and does not affect any of your other benefits. It isn't just people claiming PIP that will receive the Christmas bonus. The full list of benefits that are eligible are:

• 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

The Christmas bonus has not been permanently increased since it was introduced by the DWP in 1972. It was briefly raised to £70 in 2008 to support people during the financial crash but was reduced back to £10 the following year.