State pension, PIP and carers: will you get the £10 Christmas bonus as 24m people wait in December?

As winter bills bite, a small seasonal top-up is due for some households. Not everyone will see it arrive.

Millions on State Pension and disability benefits are due a one-off Christmas payment from the DWP. The sum is modest, the rules precise, and the timing matters.

What the Christmas bonus is and when it lands

The Department for Work and Pensions pays a tax-free £10 Christmas Bonus to people who receive certain benefits during a set “qualifying week” in December. The bonus is paid automatically and separately to your usual benefit or pension, so it may arrive on a different day from your regular payment.

Officials aim to credit accounts before 1 January 2026. On bank statements, it typically appears as “DWP XB”. No application is needed.

£10 tax-free, paid automatically if you receive a qualifying benefit during 1–7 December. Look for “DWP XB”.

The qualifying week and where you must live

To get the bonus, you must be present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, expected to run from 1 to 7 December. The DWP may write to you about the bonus, although letters sometimes arrive after the money has been paid.

Which benefits qualify

You must be entitled to at least one of the following during the qualifying week. Universal Credit is not on the list.

• Adult Disability Payment (Scotland)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer Support Payment (Scotland)
• Child Disability Payment (Scotland)
• Constant Attendance Allowance (Industrial Injuries or War Pensions)
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (main phase, after the first 13 weeks)
• Disability Living Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit (long-term rate)
• Industrial Death Benefit (for widows or widowers)
• Mobility Supplement
• Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland)
• Pension Credit – guarantee element
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scotland)
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (Industrial Injuries or War Pensions)
• War Disablement Pension at State Pension age
• War Widow’s Pension
• Widowed Mother’s Allowance
• Widowed Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

If you have not claimed your State Pension and do not receive another qualifying benefit, you will not get the bonus.

Couples, civil partners and people who live together

If both partners receive a qualifying benefit, each person gets £10. If your partner does not receive a qualifying benefit, they may still receive the bonus if both of the following apply:

• you are both over State Pension age by the end of the qualifying week; and
• your partner was present or ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, an EEA country or Switzerland during the qualifying week.

And either of these must also apply:

• you receive an increase to a qualifying benefit for your partner; or
• the only qualifying benefit you receive is Pension Credit.

Who misses out and common pitfalls

Not everyone over State Pension age gets the payment. If you have reached State Pension age but have not yet claimed and you do not receive another qualifying benefit, no bonus is paid. Universal Credit on its own does not qualify. People on contribution-based ESA must have moved into the main phase to qualify. Those living outside the listed territories during the qualifying week are excluded.

The bonus comes as a separate credit, which can cause confusion. It may not arrive on the same day as your pension or benefit. Do not be alarmed if the letter arrives late; the money can land first.

Why £10 raises eyebrows in 2025

The Christmas Bonus began under Ted Heath’s government in 1972 and has never been uprated. Using a composite price index, its original value would be roughly £118 today. That gap fuels regular calls for reform, but the amount remains fixed at £10 this year. For some households, it will cover a small shop, a bus pass, or a top-up on energy. For others, it acts as a prompt to check their entitlement to wider support such as Pension Credit or disability benefits.

First paid in 1972, the £10 bonus would be worth about £118 in today’s prices if it had risen with costs.

What you should do now

You do not need to apply. Make sure your bank details are up to date with the DWP or your pension provider. Keep an eye on your statements for “DWP XB” from mid-December. If you believe you qualified during the week of 1–7 December and nothing arrives by early January, contact the office that pays your benefit or pension.

• Check which benefits you receive during 1–7 December.
• Confirm your address and bank details are current.
• Watch for a separate £10 credit labelled “DWP XB”.
• Ignore unsolicited texts or calls asking for bank details; the bonus is automatic.

Real-world scenarios

A PIP claimant in work

Ella receives PIP and works part-time. She qualifies because PIP is on the list. Her £10 arrives mid-December as “DWP XB”, separate from wages and PIP.

A couple where only one partner claims

Malcolm gets the State Pension and Pension Credit. His wife, Aisha, is over State Pension age but does not claim a qualifying benefit. Because Pension Credit is Malcolm’s only qualifying benefit, Aisha can still get £10 if she met the residence rule during the qualifying week.

Universal Credit only

Chris receives Universal Credit but no listed disability or pension benefit. He will not receive the Christmas Bonus unless he becomes entitled to one of the qualifying benefits during 1–7 December.

Extra help to consider this winter

If you receive the State Pension or certain benefits, you may also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment and, in very cold spells, Cold Weather Payments in England and Wales (or the equivalent schemes in Scotland). Pension Credit can act as a gateway to additional help, including cost-of-living support in some cases, free TV licences for over-75s on Pension Credit, and enhanced energy support programmes. If your income has dipped or your circumstances have changed, check whether you now qualify for Pension Credit; even a small award can open doors to wider support.

Think about timing. If you are approaching State Pension age, submitting a claim promptly can help you meet the qualifying week for the Christmas Bonus and unlock other entitlements. Keep records of your benefit status during the first week of December, as that drives eligibility for the £10 payment.