Overview
- An automatic, tax‑free £10 Christmas Bonus will be deposited in the first full week of December for people on qualifying benefits, showing on statements as DWP XB or XB.
- Cold Weather Payments of £25 per seven consecutive freezing days are live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, appear as DWP CWP or SSA DWP, and usually arrive within 14 working days after a trigger.
- Universal Credit on its own does not qualify for the £10 bonus, while eligibility for Cold Weather Payments includes Pension Credit and some UC claimants who meet extra conditions such as limited capability for work or a child under five.
- Many non‑income benefits do not qualify for Cold Weather Payments, with exclusions including Attendance Allowance, DLA, PIP, Carer’s Allowance, Child Benefit and Housing Benefit; Scotland instead pays a separate Winter Heating Payment of about £59.75.
- Local councils are topping up support, with Derbyshire sending one‑off £110 Post Office vouchers to eligible low‑income pensioners, and DWP holiday timetables mean benefits due on 25–26 December or 1 January are paid earlier (24 December or 31 December).