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.

Petition founder David Angus Kirkwood contends that it has remained unchanged since its launch more than five decades ago, and adjusted for today’s values, it would amount to approximately £171 – based on calculations using the composite price index from 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 website. Upon reaching 10,000 signatures, it would warrant a written response from the UK Government , reports the Daily Record.

The petition demands the annual one-off payment should exclusively go to “British citizens, who have been claiming benefits for a minimum of six months”. It adds: “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 nearly 24 million people across Great Britain receive at least one benefit – the State Pension is classified as a contributory benefit – and of those around 15m are paid the £10 sum. This represents a UK Government expenditure of £150 million on the DWP Christmas Bonus.

DWP £10 Christmas Bonus

Some 24 benefits were eligible for the 2025/26 £10 payment, however, 8.3m people claiming Universal Credit do not qualify.

The DWP issued the payment in December.

To qualify for the Christmas Bonus you must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, Gibraltar, during the qualifying week – normally the first week in December.

Qualifying benefits

You must also get at least one of the following benefits in the qualifying week:

• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• 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
• 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.