Millions on state pension, Universal Credit and other DWP benefits due extra payment before end of the year

The £10 payment, known as the benefits Christmas bonus, is paid by DWP to those who are eligible during the qualifying week.

Around 22.7 million people across the UK are claiming at least one benefit from the DWP.

On the Government website, it states that Britons must be claiming one of out 22 benefits to receive the extra cash.

The DWP will make this as a separate payment, independent of one's other scheduled benefit payment, so it may arrive on a different day.

Nobody needs to apply for the extra £10 as it should automatically go into the account where they usually receive their benefit payment or state pension. It will show as ‘DWP XB’ on bank statements and online accounts.

The qualifying week for this payment is usually the first week in December so those who are not claiming certain benefits are urged to check their eligibility.

Around £19billion of support goes unclaimed by households across the UK each year, research by Policy in Practice found.

As the cost of living crisis continues, Britons are urged to check what benefits they may be entitled to as this could add much needed financial relief in hard times.

To get a Christmas Bonus, Britons must be present or ‘ordinarily resident’ in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar during the qualifying week.

They must also get at least one of the following benefits in the ‘qualifying week’ - this is normally the first full week of December:

• 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
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• 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

Although this payment provides an extra boost for those eligible, the payment has not kept up with inflation meaning it may not go very far in todays economic climate.

The Christmas Bonus was first introduced in 1972 by Ted Heath’s Conservative Government.

Over five decades later, the payment has not been uprated or increased since it launched.

It would be worth around £115 today if it had increased, figures from UK Office for National Statistics have shown.

David Southgate, policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, said the Christmas bonus feels like a "drop in the ocean".

He said: "The wider issue is that far too many disabled people who rely on benefits can't even afford basic essentials like food and heating.

"The government urgently needs to reform our broken welfare system so benefits cover everyone's essential costs."