An easy check for more than 2 million must be made now – or miss out on the DWP’s Christmas cash boost

TWO million people eligible for Christmas cash help from the Department for Work and Pensions face an easy check or risk missing out.

The £10 bonus is available to those who claim certain benefits in a given ‘qualifying week’.

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This year, the qualifying week is set for the week beginning December 2, which is just a few days away.

People will therefore need to check whether they are claiming the relevant benefits by the end of the year. following week if they want to receive the money.

If you are eligible, payment will automatically be transferred to the account your benefits are normally paid into, without you having to do anything else.

It is tax free and usually arrives no later than December 25th.

If you are sure you received the payment before, check your bank statements for the code “DWP XB”.

All state pensioners are eligible, regardless of their income, as well as those applying for DWP benefits.

There is another list of 20 other benefits which, if you claim them, mean you will be eligible for the bonus.

Who exactly is entitled to the Christmas bonus?

You will need to live or reside in one of the following countries:

• United Kingdom
• The Channel Islands
• Isle of Man
• Gibraltar
• Swiss
• Any country in the European Economic Area (EEA)

You will also need to receive a state pension or receive at least one of the following benefits during the reference week to be eligible for the tax-free money:

• Adult Disability Payment
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Care allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Disability payment for children
• Constant care allowance (paid under work injury or war pension schemes)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claiming)
• Disability Subsistence 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)
• Severe disability allowance (temporarily protected)
• Unemployability supplement or allowance (paid under work accident or war pension schemes)
• War Disability Pension at State Retirement Age
• War widow’s pension
• Widowed mother’s allowance
• Allowance for widowed parents
• Widow’s pension

You will not receive the £10 Christmas bonus if you’re right on Universal Credit.

If you have reached the state pension age but are not currently claiming it, for example if you have deferred it, you will not get the bonus.

How can I claim?

If you are eligible for payment, you will not have to make a claim and will just have to wait and wait.

You will receive it in the same account where you normally receive your pension payments.

But always keep an eye on your account in December to make sure you received it.

The payment should appear on your bank statement as “DWP XB”.

If you think you are eligible but are not receiving payment automatically, you should contact your local representative. Pension Center.

You can find the nearest center, along with its telephone number and address, by going to the government website.

Gap in state pensions

Your partner can still benefit from the £10 bonus if you both miss the deadline State pension age at the end of the reference week.

One of you will need to apply for a qualifying benefit, such as Pension credit.

You will also both need to be 66 years or older by the beginning of December.

So, for example, a retired husband can claim the pension credit and his wife cannot, but her claim makes them both eligible for the bonus.

However, you will not get the money paid separately – instead a total of £20 will be paid into one account.

And keep in mind that your claimant partner should also be entitled to an increase in their benefit entitlement.

So, for example, you may be entitled to an increase in pension credit if you start living with your partner.

This benefit increases your weekly income to £213 if you are single or your joint weekly income to £332.95 if you have a partner.

If an increase in benefit is paid for an adult partner, this must be indicated on benefit award letters sent each year or when the benefit was first claimed.

It will usually say something like “additional amount paid for your partner” and give a number.

If the benefit is pension credit, the award letter will state something like ‘amount for you and your partner’.