Humbug; they've even stopped the Christmas £10 bonus!

[count orlok]

Just got my award notice telling me what I will be getting to live on from April 2012. My ESA is going up from £99.85 to £105.05, but I won't be getting any more because the top up payment I also get to make up for the drop in income I got when changing from Invalidity Benefit to IB, is going down by the same amount.

 

And for the first week in December a Christmas Bonus of £0.00 will be paid.

 

I used to get £10 every Christmas, but I suppose they are looking for ways of funding tax cuts for those earning over £3000 a week. What fairer way of funding cuts for the best off than in true Tory fashion by taking money from the worst off?

 

I won't be sending DC or NC a Christmas card this year.

 

No sure if its being stopped for all the other qualifying benefits, or just Contribution based ESA. There is no mention of it on my wifes pension award letter, and not as yet had letters about my DLA and Carers Allowance.

 

Its bad enough the way they are treating the sick and disabled, but his is just mean. What's next on the agenda, special squads of "officers" on housing estates to take sweets of the children of single parents?

[Life-Goes-On]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018704

 

Christmas Bonus Who is eligible?

 

 

To get a Christmas Bonus you must be a resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, any EEA country, or Switzerland. You must also be entitled to at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week (normally the first full week of December):

 

• Attendance Allowance
  
• Carer's Allowance
  
• Constant Attendance Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
  
• 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
  
• State Pension (including Graduated Retirement Benefit)
  
• Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected)
  
• Unemployability Supplement or Allowance (paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes)
  
• War Disablement Pension if over State Pension age
  
• War Widow's Pension
  
• Widowed Mother's Allowance
  
• Widowed Parent's Allowance
  
• Widow's Pension
  

[count orlok]

Yes I looked that up to, but that would be what applies now (christmas 2011) and does not include the changes due in April 2012.

 

They do make mistakes though, I was told I hd been awarded DLA for Life and Dave said they would look after the most vulnarable in society.

[Nystagmite]

There doesn't seem to be anything on Google about this.

[Life-Goes-On]

Edit.

 

Forget question, as see you're in the support group.

[count orlok]

I may have jumped the gun, but the way this government seem to be intent on destroying all that my father and grandfather fought for, I am always thinking the worst. it may be that I'm going to get it in relation to my DLA or CA, and not ESA, just that it seemed strange to make a point out of saying I would be getting £0.00 as a Christmas bonus.

[frank_begbie]

£10? good to see its kept up with the inflation rate.

 

How long has it been going? and its still a tenner? (if you get it)

 

Good God.

[jadeybags]

Well, I used to get the 10 pound xmas bonus, ummmm, gosh, 6 years ago my sons DLA & my CA stopped? Yep, it's gone up a bit since then hasn't it! lol

[Nystagmite]

yes, it's still a tenner.

[count orlok]

I wonder why they said mine will be £0.00

[speedfreek]

Okay the way it was explained to me is that benefits are ranked. Highest ranked benefit pays the bonus.

 

In the game of Benefit Top Trumps ESA main phase (i.e. in WRAG/SG) trumps DLA. Whilst DLA beats ESA in assessment phases.

 

2010 I got a Christmas bonus paid by DLA.

 

Didn't get one this year so phoned up DLA. DLA told me that as I'm in main phase ESA it's they who pay it.

 

Called ESA who said no it hasn't been paid expect a call back.

 

ESA call back 1, No your not eligible as although you get both Conts and Income ESA it's the Income one that takes president so you will not get one.

 

Okay I think fair enough DLA premiums each week or £10 a year ~ no contest really.

 

ESA call back 2 (10 minutes later), Sorry we were wrong and you do qualify for it.

 

Next thing you know a notice arrives through the post saying Congratulations here's £20.

 

So the moral of the story is...... I don't know!

[Nystagmite]

That's ridiculous, Speedfreek. Would be much better for both departments to communicate with each other.

[count orlok]

Mystery solved, they didn't pay me any Christmas bonus this year; what mean ****ers.

[abc123def]

My dd receives DLA, IS and CA and didn't get a xmas bonus, should she have done?

[Lillibelle]

We get IB DLA CA and IS and we both got £10 weeks ago

[estellyn]

Just checked and we got christmas bonuses.

[Nystagmite]

My dd receives DLA, IS and CA and didn't get a xmas bonus, should she have done?

 

Yes. I got mine a few weeks ago.

[abc123def]

I wonder if her £10 was combined in with either her IS or CA is that possible? She says her payments for those vary from week to week so she never knows what will arrive. She certainly hasn't had an individual payment of £10 at all.

 

Did everyone get theirs as a separate individual payment of £10 or was their paid with their benefit?

[Nystagmite]

Mine was separate and always has been. Did your daughter receive a letter about this?

[RaeUK]

Got mine for the first time this year, it arrived separately.

I know I've asked a couple of times but am yet to procure an answer. Why is the bonus paid to CB ESA claimants but not to IR ESA claimants? I would have thought the latter needed it more.

[Lillibelle]

Mine was in with my regular payments

[liverbird37]

I get IR ESA and DLA and got my £10 bonus on December 10th as a seperate payment. The letter informing me about my bonus was sent from DLA

[abc123def]

Mine was separate and always has been. Did your daughter receive a letter about this?

 

Nope she had no letter. If it were more than £10 I'd phone but hardly worth the high cost of the phone call .. no landline here.

[abc123def]

Mine was in with my regular payments

 

Did you get a letter saying it would be in with your payments or you just noticed the extra tenner so you knew it was there? And what was the payment it was included with? Only asking because I wonder if hers was the same benefit and she's just not aware of amounts like you. She's confused about her payments always.

[estellyn]

Did you get a letter saying it would be in with your payments or you just noticed the extra tenner so you knew it was there? And what was the payment it was included with? Only asking because I wonder if hers was the same benefit and she's just not aware of amounts like you. She's confused about her payments always.

 

I didn't get a letter. I wasn't even aware we had got the 'extra tenners' until this thread mentioned it. I went back to my online statements and saw that the payments were £10 more that week than they usually were. I hadn't even noticed at the time.