Millions of pensioners across the UK will wake up to a Christmas Bonus payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from Monday.

The bonus is a one-off £10 payment that is awarded to people claiming certain benefits and is paid by the DWP in the first week of December.

Thousands of people have backed a petition urging the government to increase the Christmas Bonus amount to match inflation, similar to recent alterations to the Winter Fuel Payment.

The campaign, which launched in October this year and has amassed more than 22,000 signatures, argues for an inflation-based increase to the Christmas Bonus which has remained at £10 since its inception fifty years ago.

Campaign starter Shona McMahon said: “Christmas is THE most expensive time of year! Pensioners, the vulnerable, and people like myself, disabled, could do with an extra boost at this time of year, especially as the energy assistance has been axed. It was shocking to learn that the ‘£10 Christmas Bonus’ has been the same for over five decades!”

In response, a representative from the DWP said: “We know that Christmas is a time when people stretch their budgets, which is why we pay many people their benefits earlier than usual, helping them prepare for the festive period.

“We’re focused on supporting people year-round through a new system which offers better personalised support for people out of work as well as those in work on a low income.” They added: “We are taking immediate action to turn around the dire inheritance we face — with more people living in poverty now than 14 years ago.

“This includes extending the Household Support Fund for the most vulnerable, kickstarting work to develop a strategy to reduce child poverty and taking the first steps towards delivering a genuine living wage for working people.”

To qualify for the £10 Christmas Bonus you must be living, or be “ordinarily resident” in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar, during the qualifying week, which this year is from December 2 to 8.

You need to be claiming the State Pension during this period week, or at least one of the following benefits:

• Adult Disability Payment
• 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)
• 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

You don’t need to submit a claim to get it as it’ll be paid automatically if you’re eligible and will be sent directly to your bank account in the first week of December. It should appear on your bank statement with the reference ‘DWP XB’.

You won’t get the Christmas Bonus if you haven’t claimed your State Pension and you’re not entitled to one of the other qualifying benefits.

If you think you’re entitled to the £10 Christmas Bonus but you don’t receive it in the first week of December then you should contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.