Universal credit Christmas bonus explained - how much and when to claim

The four day Christmas weekend will affect when recipients receive payment

The Christmas season can be a particularly expensive time, so for those claiming any kind of benefits, it’s important to know about the extra government support available to you.

Whether you work, receive support or both, millions across the UK are being impacted by the cost of living crisis.

With around 5.7m people in the UK claiming Universal Credit, the government has introduced support packages to help those hardest hit by the cost of living crisis.

These include a £324 cost of living payment to those on means-tested benefits next month, which will be the second in a support payment worth £650.

In addition to the support measures already delivered, the government will also be giving a bonus to Universal Credit claimants this Christmas.

Here is everything you need to know about the Universal Credit bonus:

What is the Christmas bonus?

It is a one-off tax-free £10 payment that will be made before Christmas to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week, which is normally the first full week of December.

The bonus is given to those who receive universal credit, as well as recipients of 21 other benefits including personal independence payments (PIP), jobseeker’s allowance, incapacity benefit, and other payments.

You do not need to claim – you should get paid automatically.

Am I eligible?

You must be present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during the qualifying week.

If you live in or are moving to a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland, find out about benefits for UK nationals in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.

You must be in receipt of one of the following benefits in the “qualifying week”:

• Armed Forces independence payment 
• Attendance allowance 
• Carer’s allowance 
• Child disability payment 
• Constant attendance allowance 
• 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 
• War disablement pension at state pension age 
• War widow’s pension 
• Widowed mother’s allowance 
• Widowed parent’s allowance 
• Widow’s pension

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.

When can I expect to receive payment?

Benefits are usually paid on the newest working day before weekends and bank holidays, but this year they will be affected by the four-day Christmas weekend.

As Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, there will be a bank holiday on Tuesday 27 December after the bank holiday for Boxing Day the previous day.

Universal Credit payments usually due on the 24th, 25th, 26th or 27th of the month should be received on Friday 23 December.

Any other benefits you would normally receive on the Monday or Tuesday after Christmas will also be paid on Friday 23 December due to the bank holidays.

Is there anything else I need to know?

If you are married, in a civil partnership, or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits, you’ll each receive the bonus payment.

If your partner or civil partner does not get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas bonus if both of the following apply:

• You’re both over state pension age by the end of the qualifying week 
• Your partner or civil partner was also present (or “ordinarily resident”) in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, European Economic (EEA) country, or Switzerland during the qualifying week