PIP claimants to get special bonus payment in time for Christmas

Money will be arriving in bank accounts to help with costs over the festive period

People who receive Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are being alerted to a special bonus payment which will be coming their way before Christmas. They are among people who will be getting the Christmas Bonus from the Government.

The money is paid out in a bid to help with costs over the festive season. It's a £10 payment and also goes to people on a number of other benefits including Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Pension Credit.

It's paid out automatically to those who are eligible. For anyone confused by an unexpected £10 payment just before Christmas, it's likely to be the DWP bonus.

READ MORE: All state pensioners told there will be no bonus payment this year

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It's designed to provide a little bit of help to those on low incomes but its importance has been questioned over recent years. That's because the £10 amount has remained unchanged as inflation and the cost of living has increased, leading to accusations it makes hardly any difference to struggling households.

The "qualifying week" for the bonus - when people must be getting on the of the benefits - is the first full week of December. The money will then be paid at some point before Christmas.

The Government says: "The Christmas Bonus is a one-off tax-free £10 payment made before Christmas, paid to people who get certain benefits in the qualifying week. This is normally the first full week of December.

"You do not need to claim - you should get paid automatically. All benefits, pensions and allowances are normally paid into an account, such as your bank account. It may show up as ‘DWP XB’ on your bank statement."