MILLIONS will receive a Christmas bonus in their accounts in a few weeks.
The free cash is for people receiving certain benefits, and it will be paid automatically.
It’s delivered to bank accounts during the first full week of December.
This year, December 1 lands on a Monday, so you should get the payment within the first seven days of the month.
The bonus is only £10 – but every penny counts during the festive season.
The aid was first introduced in 1972, and hasn’t risen in value since then.
If it had risen in line with inflation, it would now be worth £118.69 – which could easily help cover the cost of a Christmas food shop.
If you are not sure if you have received the payment before, check on your bank statements for a code which says “DWP XB”.
To get the money, you usually need to be claiming benefits before the first full week of December.
The full list of benefits which make you eligible for the bonus include:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- 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 Age Disability Payment
- Pension Credit – the 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 (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
If you think that you qualify but don’t receive the payment automatically you should contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Pension Centre.
Support if you are struggling
If you are struggling there are more ways to get financial support.
For example, cash-strapped families can get access to money through the Household Support Fund (HSF).
The scheme has been extended multiple times with the latest round running between April 2025 and March 2026.
Each council in England has been allocated a share of the £742million fund and can distribute it to residents in need.
Eligibility criteria varies based on where you live but usually help is offered to those on benefits or a low income.
5 Money-saving tips for autumn/winter
1. Draught-proof your home
It takes time and money to heat up your home, so it’s important that you do as much as you can to keep in the warmth. Close your doors and windows, and fill any gaps with a draught excluder.
2. Dial down your thermostat
According to Energy UK, turning down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius could cut your heating bill by up to 10%, and save you around £85 per year. Plus, if you don’t have a thermostat, installing one could save up to £70 per year!
3. Move furniture around
Make sure not big, bulky furniture like sofas are blocking radiators.
4. Wash clothes on a lower temp and add an extra spin
Unless it’s bedding, towels or really dirty items, dial down the temperature to 20 or 30 degrees, and do a double spin to remove excess water.
5. Heat the person not the home
There’s not point heating up a room that no one is sitting in, so be mindful about which radiators are on.
