Exact dates to qualify for Christmas bonus on Universal Credit and benefits in DAYS

MILLIONS on Universal Credit and other benefits will soon receive a Christmas bonus directly into their bank accounts.

The tax-free £10 payment will be made to eligible households during the first full week of December, according to the DWP.

If you’re entitled to the payment you don’t have to apply and it will be paid out automatically.

And as the £10 is a bonus, it won’t need to be repaid either, nor will it affect any other benefits you receive.

The tax-free payment is usually made after the qualifying week and before Christmas.

To qualify for the payment you must be present or “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the first full week between December 5 and 11.

Households will also need to claim at least one of the 20 qualifying benefits within the same period.

The bonus isn’t available to those who receive Universal Credit only but someone on Universal Credit who also receives one of the qualifying benefits will receive it.

To claim your part of the Christmas cash, you’ll need to be claiming at least one of the following DWP’s benefits:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Child Disability Payment
• 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
• 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

If you think you qualify but didn’t receive the payment automatically, contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Pension Centre.

If you are in line for the £10 boost there’s a code you should look out for in your bank statement – “DWP XB”.

What other money can I get this Christmas?

It comes as millions of households on Universal Credit could get thousands in extra cash – here’s how.

The Warm Home Discount is a £150 discount off energy bills, and payments usually begin in October.

You get the payment automatically if your electricity supplier is part of the scheme and you qualify.

Anyone born on or before September 25, 1957, could get an up to £600 payment this winter via a Winter Fuel payment.

Most people who are eligible get it automatically like if you receive state pension.

Meanwhile, thousands on a low income are still missing out on Pension Credit, which could be worth £3,500 a year.

It’s worth seeing if you can make a claim – all the information about how to and who is eligible is on the Government’s website.

As a minimum, you must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached state pension age.

Pension Credit is known as a gateway benefit as well, meaning it opens up a raft of freebies.

For example, if you’re over 75 you might be able to apply for a free TV licence, worth £159 a year.

Here are all the perks you could get from the benefit.