We checked with the DWP the exact dates you should get your payment. If you are expecting to be paid on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, you should be paid on 24 December. That is the Wednesday before Christmas, or the last working day before the bank holiday.
If your payment is due on New Year’s Day, it should be paid on Wednesday, 31 December.
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How much is the DWP Christmas bonus?
The DWP Christmas bonus is a one-off £10 payment for people receiving benefits to help them through the festive period.
It is normally paid to people during the first full week of December (this year, that is the week beginning Monday, 1 December), so you will receive it automatically if you are eligible.
To be eligible for the DWP Christmas bonus, you have to be receiving one of the following benefits: adult or child disability payment, armed forces independence payment, attendance allowance, carer’s allowance or support payment, constant attendance allowance, contribution-based ESA, DLA, incapacity benefit at the long-term rate, mobility supplement, pension credit – the guarantee element, PIP, state pension, severe disablement allowance, unemployability supplement or allowance, war disablement pension at state pension age, war widow’s pension, widowed mother’s allowance, widowed parent’s allowance, widow’s pension, industrial death benefit (for widows or widowers).
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Head to the government’s website for more information about whether you could be eligible.
If you think you should receive the Christmas bonus but have not received it by 1 January, you should contact the Jobcentre Plus office that deals with your payments or the Pension Service.
Are household support funds available?
The household support fund runs from April 2025 to March 2026 from local councils, which helps low income households with essentials and other living costs.
If you meet the criteria set by your local council, you could receive support with energy and water bills, food, or other essential items. You will need to contact your local council directly to see what specific forms of assistance are available and how to apply.
Find out more about the household support fund here.
When will people receive the winter fuel payment?
The government has confirmed that nine million eligible pensioners will receive the winter fuel payment in November or December this year. This is an additional benefit to help pensioners with the cost of heating over the winter.
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Pensioners in England and Wales can get the winter fuel payment if they have reached state pension age by the end of the qualifying week (15 to 21 September 2025) and if they have an income of, or below, £35,000 a year.
The payment will be £200 per household, or £300 per household where there is someone aged 80 or over. Find out more about the winter fuel payment here.
When will the cold weather payment be paid?
The cold weather payment is given out to low-income households when temperatures drop below freezing for seven consecutive days.
It is a £25 top up for each seven-day period of cold weather between 1 November, 2025 and 31 March, 2026, intended to help people cover the extra costs they have to pay for heating. It’s paid to people in receipt of certain benefits.
Find out more about the cold weather payment here.
When will people in Scotland receive the winter heating payment?
People in Scotland may receive a winter heating payment instead of the cold weather payment from December 2025. It is a £59.75 payment which is given to people on low-income benefits who might have extra heating needs.
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The money is paid by Social Security Scotland, having replaced the DWP’s cold weather payment for Scottish households.
You have to be getting a qualifying benefit to get the payment. These are universal credit, pension credit, income support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA or support for mortgage interest.
The Scottish government website states that those eligible will automatically receive the single payment between December 2025 and February 2026.
There are also specific criteria within the benefits too. Find out more about the winter heating payment and whether you could be eligible here.
When will the warm home discount be paid?
The warm home discount is a one-time discount applied directly to your electricity bill between November 2025 and March 2026.
It is a sum of £150 which is granted to low-income households with high energy costs. It is not paid directly to individuals, but it’s money that comes off your bill. You can find out more here.
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Who gets the affordable warmth scheme in Northern Ireland?
The affordable warmth scheme is a grant in Northern Ireland paid to people who have an income of less than £23,000 a year. It is not available to people living in social housing.
You could get help to install insulation, central heating and new windows to tackle fuel poverty.
The property must not be a holiday home, bed and breakfast or commercial establishment.
To make an application to the Affordable Warmth Scheme, people can contact the NI Energy Advice Service by phoning 0800 111 44 55 or emailing NIenergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk
A technical officer will then visit your home to assess what energy efficiency measures might be useful in your home and then, if eligible and funding is there, you may get a grant of up to £7,500 to make your home more energy efficient.
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