Got the Ј10 Christmas Bonus this winter? Expect a further Ј60 in the New Year too!

A question about : Got the Ј10 Christmas Bonus this winter? Expect a further Ј60 in the New Year too!

Updated 29 December 2008

What's this about?

Every year a Ј10 Christmas Bonus is paid before Christmas Day to pensioners and some people on benefits. This winter it's been announced an additional Ј60 per person will be paid between Jan & March 2009 to each person who got the Ј10 bonus.

Who qualifies for the cash?

If you got the Ј10 bonus, you'll definately get the additional Ј60.

You qualify for the Ј60 bonus if you were in receipt of at least one of the following benefits in the week commencing 22 December:
Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance
Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Incapacity Benefit at the long-term rate
Industrial Death Benefit
Carer's Allowance
Mobility Supplement
Pension Credit - the guaranteed element
State Pension (including Graduated Pension)
Severe Disablement Allowance
Unemployability Supplement or Allowance
War Disablement Pension if aged 65 or over
War Widow's Pension
Widow's Pension
Widowed Mother's Allowance
Widowed Parent's Allowance
Payments don't need to be claimed, they'll be made automatically to you.

When will I get the money?

If you receive the state pension, the Ј60 payment should hit your account at some point in January. Everyone else will see the cash credited in February or March.

If you haven't had your payment by April, either contact the Jobcentre Plus or pension centre that deals with your regular payments or call the Christmas Bonus helpline on 0800 141 2591.

Related Guides
Five-Minute Benefits Check-Up
Grant Grabbing
Cheap Gas & Electricity
Energy Direct Debit Fightback
This Forum Tip was included in MoneySavingExpert's weekly email
Don't miss out on new deals, loopholes, and vouchers
FAQs
Privacy Policy
Past Emails
Unsubscribe

Best answers:

• I am in receipt of DLA and got the Ј10 bonus at Christmas - will I get the Ј60?
• Yes.................
  Quote:
• "You qualify for the Ј60 bonus if you were in receipt of at least one of the following benefits in the week commencing 22 December:
• Attendance Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance
• Contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance"

This is so clear, Lyniced........................

• I have for the last 11 years or so received the Ј10 bonus at Xmas as I am on DLA but I never got it this year, who do I contact.
  I also became a pensioner on 27 November last.
• I am in receipt of DLA and received the Christmas bonus - but reside in Northern Ireland. Does the extra Ј60 bonus apply here too? We come under the Social Security Agency, not the Benefits Agency as in England. Equally, does the bonus also apply to anyone in Scotland?
• I read somewhere that the actual new amount was Ј50 which you will receive on top of the Ј10 to achieve the Ј60 the government highlighted.
• Well if the source of the link above is correct then if you got the Ј10 you should get an additional Ј60
  You may be able to get Christmas Bonus, the one-off tax-free Ј10 payment made before Christmas. For 2008, an additional tax-free payment of Ј60 will be paid automatically to those customers getting a qualifying benefit in the week commencing 22 December 2008. This will be paid between January 2009 and March 2009.
  Quote:
• It seems, that because I have deferred my State Pension (7 years now) I don't qualify!! That's life!!
• Silly question, but why are we being paid this extra Ј60?
• Great, as heating costs have not fallen as much as Oil etc, this will help us to heat our homes more affordably, as getting a winter fuel supplement is rare!
• I get the War Disablement Pension but I am under 65, although I do get the Mobility Suppliement. I got the Ј10 christmas bonus. Would I qualify?
  Also, is it correct that i cant get DLA because I get the above two?
• I believe you either get War disablement pension or DLA but not both. Hope this helps.
• My wife reached state pension age last year. By reasons of paying the "old" married womans reduced NI and also later being contracted out, the only state pension payment she receives is based on the "old" graduated pension scheme.
  Can anyone please advise me if she is entitled to the Christmas Bonus (which she has not received) and the new extra payment?