You could be eligible for some extra cash (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The annual Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Christmas bonus is back again for 2024 with millions of Brits eligible for the payment.

The tax-free bonus is set to arrive in bank accounts during the first week of December.

Though its only a £10 boost, its a long-running scheme which has been running since 1972.

The payment is made to those receiving the state pension or claiming certain other benefits.

You need to meet the eligibility criteria during the qualifying period, typically the first full week of December.

And theres no need to apply for the bonus, as it should automatically be deposited into the account your pension or other benefits are paid into with the payment reference DWP XB.

The payment has been made since the 1970s (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The payment hasnt been uprated or increased since it was first brought in by the Tories back in the 1970s that tenner in 1972 would be worth about £165 in todays money.

Who can qualify for the Christmas bonus?

To be eligible for the Christmas Bonus, you must be present or ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Gibraltar during the qualifying week, set for December 2-8.

Not everyone over state pension age will get the payment, the DWP explains: If you have not claimed your state pension and are not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits you will not get a Christmas bonus.

If you’re part of a married couple, in a civil partnership or living together as if you are and you both get one of the qualifying benefits you will each get a £10 Christmas bonus payment.

If your partner or civil partner does not get one of the qualifying benefits, they may still get the Christmas bonus if both the following apply:

You’re both over state pension age by the end of the qualifying week
Your partner or civil partner was also present (or ‘ordinarily resident’) in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland during the qualifying week.

One of the following must also apply:

You are entitled to an increase of a qualifying benefit for your partner or civil partner
The only qualifying benefit you are getting is Pension Credit.

This is the list of benefits eligible for the Christmas bonus you must receive at least one of these during the qualifying week to get the bonus:

Adult Disability Payment (Scotland only)
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Attendance Allowance
Carer’s Allowance
Carer Support Payment (Scotland only)
Child Disability Payment (Scotland only)
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 Age Disability Payment (Scotland only)
Pension Credit the guarantee element
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
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 at State Pension age
War Widow’s Pension
Widowed Mother’s Allowance
Widowed Parent’s Allowance
Widow’s Pension

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.