DWP set to pay special 'bonus' payment into bank accounts next month

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to issue a special bonus payment next month. The DWP says people on benefits will receive the traditional Christmas Bonus - worth £10 - into their bank accounts over the next few weeks.

The Labour Party government has confirmed there will be bonuses for people who receive certain benefits. The payout is designed to provide some small help over the busy and expensive festive period and it will be issued to those on Pension Credit, PIP and Carer's Allowance and more.

It should arrive automatically and people will not need to apply for it. Those on qualifying benefits will receive the bonus as long as they get them in the first week of December. This is known as the "qualifying week", the DWP guidelines stipulate.

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The full list of qualifying benefits are:

• 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 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 Government said: "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. All benefits, pensions and allowances are normally paid into an account, such as your bank account. It may show up as 'DWP XB' on your bank statement."