Overview
- Most eligible pensioners will receive £100–£300 between November and December 2025, paid directly into bank accounts.
- The DWP lists exclusions tied to the 15–21 September qualifying week, including high earners over £35,000, people in hospital or prison all week, some long-term care-home residents, and those with immigration conditions barring public funds.
- The £10 Christmas Bonus will be issued in early December to people on 24 specified benefits, appears as “DWP XB” on statements, and does not apply to Universal Credit claimants.
- Cold Weather Payments of £25 per seven-day sub-zero spell run from 1 November to 31 March for people on certain benefits, with payments triggered automatically by local temperatures.
- Research and DWP estimates indicate large underclaiming, with about 760,000 pensioners missing Pension Credit worth an average £4,300 and Policy in Practice estimating around seven million people missing other support.