More than 4,680 people have signed a petition calling for it to be raised in line with inflation
More than 4,680 people have signed a petition calling for it to be raised in line with inflation
Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer and Rory Poulter
01:13, 27 Mar 2026
An online petition demanding the UK Government raise the £10 Christmas bonus payment in accordance with inflation has attracted thousands of signatures. The tax-free £10 sum has been distributed to millions receiving State Pension or qualifying benefits since Ted Heath’s Conservative Government launched it in 1972.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) issues the payment to those claiming State Pension or benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance – provided they satisfy the eligibility requirements during December’s qualifying window, reports the Daily Record.
Petition founder David Angus Kirkwood says it has not been increased since its inception more than 50 years ago, and based on current values, it would equate to approximately £171 – when assessed using the 3 per cent composite price index inflation rate, released by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The ‘Adjust the £10 DWP Christmas Bonus introduced in 1972 to reflect inflation’ petition appears on the Petitions Parliament platform and has more than 4,680 signatures. Should it reach 10,000 signatures, it would warrant a formal written reply from the UK Government.
The petition advocates for the yearly one-off sum to exclusively be awarded to “British citizens, who have been claiming benefits for a minimum of six months”. The petition elaborates: “In the early 1970s, £10 was a valuable uplift for those without income, to help with the increased costs associated with Christmas time. It would have helped towards paying for heating and electricity, food and drinks or Christmas presents for kids.
“It would have been the equivalent of approximately £180 today adjusted for inflation. £10 today won’t even buy a round of drinks, wouldn’t pay for a quality Christmas pudding or buy a box of decent Christmas crackers. £10 quite frankly is insulting.”
It’s important to note that approximately 24 million people throughout Great Britain receive at least one benefit – the State Pension is classified as a contributory benefit – and amongst those roughly 15m are entitled to the £10 payment. This represents a UK Government expenditure of £150 million on the DWP Christmas Bonus.
DWP £10 Christmas Bonus
Around 24 benefits will qualify for the 2026/27 £10 payment, although 8.3m people claiming Universal Credit are not eligible. The DWP distributes the payment during December.
To be eligible for the Christmas Bonus you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, Gibraltar, throughout the qualifying week, which typically falls during the first complete week of December.
Qualifying benefits
You must also be receiving at least one of the following benefits during the qualifying week:
- 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)
- 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
Not everyone over State Pension age gets the payment, DWP guidance on GOV.UK 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.”
Find out more about the Christmas Bonus on GOV.UK here.
Choose Liverpool Echo as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for quick access to the news you value.
- DWP
- Benefits
- PIP
