Thread: The £10/£60 xmas bonus confusion

Worrying, but no-one, least of all the DWP , seem to know the definite answer to this, and searching the Internet only brings up the same level of confusion:

If 2 people in the same household each qualify for a relevant benefit (for example, DLA for 1 person and CA for 1 other) which attract the £10 xmas bonus (and this year the extra £60), do both people get the £10 bonus (so £20 in the household) or is it £10 per household? Does anyone know the definitive answer, please? :-| It would seem even the DWP are giving different answers depending on who people talk to.

Hiya Booky,

In our case my wife got the £10 bonus being a carer and my mum in law also got the £10 being the DLA recipient my mum in law got the other payments i.e. winter fuel and additional bonus but my wife did not.

not sure if the above is of help or indeed if what we got was right but that's how it stands at the moment for us.

PF

Each person in receipt of one or more qualifying benefits is entitled to one christmas bonus provided the benefit was payable during the qualifying week.

The qualifying week this year was w/c 22 December 2008. The qualifying beneft needs only to have been payable for one day in this week for the christmas bonus to be payable.

The bonus is payable to each claimant within a household who meets these criteria.

The payment of the christmas bonus is this year to be staged in two payments - £10 in the week following 22 December 2008, and then a further £60 between 01/01/09 and 31/03/09.

Relevant sources of information:-

1. Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, Part 10 ("Christmas Bonus for Pensioners")

2. The Christmas Bonus (Relevant Week) Order 2008 (SI 2008/3064)

HTH

SV

It helps very much, yes. I have read of people being told otherwise by the DWP themselves!

Q no2, because I want to be absolutely sure before I make a fuss: If the totality of your mobility element goes to Motability and you get a care portion, I assume you are still entitled to get the xmas bonus(es) to yourself? It doesn't go to Motability? sorry if it sounds daft, but I have a sneaky suspicion that I have NEVER received the xmas bonus over the last few years and can't understand why not. :-?

Nope, the christmas bonus is in law a seperate benefit and so it is not surrendered to Motability under any agreement, even if you receive only the mobility component.

SV

Right.

Calling the DWP 1st thing on Monday then.

Thanks very much for clarifying this. Will let you know what happens.

I can guess what happens, I know how fiesty you are ;-)

Well, b****r me sideways, if you'll forgive the expression!

I didn't have a chance to phone DWP in the last couple days (my home having become the faithful replica of a home in Flanders for the sick and the shellshocked circa 1917... or my husband has a cold, as most commonly known round these parts), but this morning, 2 x £60 have landed in my bank account, one with the DLA reference, one with the CA one.

Like Christ, it was born in December, but rose at Easter. Hallelujah!!!

.....spend it wisely (lol)

Sadly, my overdraft got to it first... as usual. With the £600 electric bill I just received, lord knows I am going to need all the extra pennies I can get.

Morning,
Your post spurred me on to go out and check my bank account

That's me sorted. Now do I pay a DCA or go visit my family?
(If anybody says DCA, I'll have to set a dog on to you )

fox

still waiting for my 2 x £60

silverfox1961 if the dog wants any help my 2 on the left <<<< put their paws up

My Wife got her £60 today too qualifying benefit was carers allowance.

Kip tower hang in there as they have until the 31/03/2009 to complete payments and it seems not every one gets it at the same time.

PF

I got mine too - £60 for child on DLA and £60 for carer - OH van just blew up so I know where it'll go .....