DWP paying state pensioners free £310 to help them before Christmas

Christmas is a tricky time to make ends meet

The Department for Work and Pensions is paying out a Christmas bonus to people alongside the Winter Fuel Payments - meaning SOME state pensioners will get £310 to tide themselves over for the festive season in December.

Christmas is a tricky time to make ends meet but the DWP Winter Fuel Allowance will be paid to eligible state pensioners, and a £10 Christmas Bonus on top. You can qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this year if you were born before 23rd September 1958 and live in England, Scotland, or Wales while receiving one of the specified benefits.

The benefits include Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)., as well as Income Support and Working Tax or Child Tax Credits.

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To qualify for the Christmas Bonus, claimants must be receiving at least one of the following benefits during the qualifying week. The list includes Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only) and Armed Forces Independence Payment.

Other benefits which qualify you include Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance, as well as Carer Support Payment (Scotland only), Child Disability Payment (Scotland only) and Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes).

The Bonus has dated back to the 1970s and has sparked controversy because it has not yet moved up with inflation. Other benefits which act as qualifications include Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase of the benefit is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim) and 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) and State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit) are also qualifications.

The eligibility extends to Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected), Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes) and War Disablement Pension at State Pension age.

War Widow’s Pension, Widowed Mother’s Allowance, Widowed Parent’s Allowance and Widow’s Pension completes the list. But if you have not claimed your State Pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas Bonus, the DWP warns.