As the festive season nears, thousands of people claiming benefits across the UK are expected to receive a small but welcome payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The long-standing £10 Christmas Bonus will be issued automatically in December to those receiving certain qualifying benefits no application needed, no forms to fill.
“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.”
This bonus may be modest, but for many households, it still helps during a financially tight time of year.
Who Gets the DWP Christmas Bonus?
To qualify, claimants must be “ordinarily resident” in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during the eligibility week typically the first full week of December.
They also must be receiving at least one of a list of specific benefits, such as:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Carer’s Allowance
- State Pension
- Attendance Allowance
- Pension Credit (Guarantee Element)
- Disability Living Allowance
- War Widow’s Pension
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance
- And more (see full list below)
However, those only receiving Universal Credit do not qualify for the Christmas bonus unless they receive it alongside another eligible benefit. The money typically lands in bank accounts with the reference ‘DWP XB’ or ‘XB’, with no action required from claimants.
Full List of Eligible Benefits for 2025 Christmas Bonus
Here’s the complete rundown of qualifying benefits:
| Eligible Benefit Type | Included in Bonus? |
|---|---|
| Adult Disability Payment | yes |
| Armed Forces Independence Payment | yes |
| Attendance Allowance | yes |
| Carer’s Allowance | yes |
| Carer Support Payment | yes |
| Child Disability Payment | yes |
| Constant Attendance Allowance | yes |
| Contribution-based ESA (Main Phase) | yes |
| Disability Living Allowance | yes |
| Incapacity Benefit (Long-term) | yes |
| Industrial Death Benefit | yes |
| Mobility Supplement | yes |
| Pension Credit (Guarantee Element) | yes |
| PIP (Personal Independence Payment) | yes |
| SADLA (Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance) | yes |
| Severe Disablement Allowance | yes |
| State Pension | yes |
| Unemployability Supplement | yes |
| War Disablement Pension (State Pension Age) | yes |
| War Widow’s Pension | yes |
| Widowed Mother’s/Parent’s Allowance | yes |
| Widow’s Pension | yes |
Couples who are married, in a civil partnership, or cohabiting and who both receive eligible benefits will each receive the payment separately.
Payment Date Changes Over Christmas
Another important point: benefit payment dates often shift around the holiday period.
This year, any payments due on Christmas Day (Thursday 25 December) or Boxing Day (Friday 26 December) are expected to be made early, most likely on Wednesday 24 December (Christmas Eve) as was the case in previous years. The DWP is expected to confirm this in December.
This means many could see their regular benefits land ahead of schedule, offering a helpful financial cushion just before the big day.
Pressure to Uplift the Bonus
Interestingly, despite inflation surging over the decades, the £10 bonus amount hasn’t changed since 1972. In today’s money, it’s worth significantly less than it was five decades ago by more than £100 in real terms.
Several campaigners and politicians have urged the government to increase the bonus, but so far, no official plans to raise the amount have been announced.
It’s not a life-changing sum. But for many navigating the festive period on tight budgets, every little helps.
Keep an eye on your bank statements for ‘DWP XB’ this December and make sure you’re claiming all the benefits you’re entitled to.
Stay tuned as the DWP releases more updates closer to the holiday season.
