The Department for Work and Pensions is issuing Winter Fuel Payments up to £300 and the £10 Christmas Bonus this month, with payments due before the end of the year. Here’s the full list
As we gear up for Christmas and bid farewell to 2025, amidst the flurry of family gatherings, festive feasts and gift exchanges, some might be oblivious to one-off payments designed to ease the financial strain of winter.
Energy bills often spike during this season, especially over the holiday fortnight when homes are bustling with activity and kids are off school.
There are still payments due to land in bank accounts this month. The Winter Fuel Payment is on its way, while the £10 Christmas Bonus from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) should be in your account before the New Year rings in.
These payments are automatically dispatched, with only a handful of people needing to lodge a claim.
Winter Fuel Payment – Annual payment ranging from £100 to £300: This initiative aims to support Brits on low incomes or benefits who face higher heating costs over the winter months. Payments typically vary from £100 to £300, depending on age and living circumstances.
Most payments are doled out in November or December 2025. If your income tops £35,000, the payment will be automatically clawed back through the tax system.
DWP Christmas Bonus – One-off £10 payment: The DWP Christmas Bonus is a single, tax-free £10 payment awarded to those drawing the State Pension or certain other benefits during the qualifying week – usually the first full week of December (1-7).
There’s no need to apply for the additional £10 as it should automatically be transferred into the account where you typically receive your State Pension or benefit payment. It’s made as a separate payment, independent of your regular State Pension or benefit payment, so it might arrive on a different day.
Benefits for the Christmas Bonus:
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer Support Payment
- 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
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
- 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
Carer’s Allowance Supplement – £293.50 paid twice a year.
This is an automatic payment of £293.50, distributed twice a year to individuals who receive Carer’s Allowance from the DWP on specific dates each year. Payments were made between 4th and 15th December.
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