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DWP issues update after thousands call for Christmas Bonus to rise to £165 after Winter Fuel Payment cuts

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DWP issues update after thousands call for Christmas Bonus to rise to £165 after Winter Fuel Payment cuts

The Division for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responded to mounting strain from greater than 20,600 individuals who signed a petition demanding a rise within the Christmas bonus cost from £10 to £165.

The bonus, which has remained unchanged since its introduction in 1972, is paid to thousands and thousands of individuals on advantages throughout the UK.

Campaigners are calling for the cost to be considerably elevated to mirror a long time of inflation, notably as many recipients face rising monetary pressures in the course of the festive season.

The DWP defined it’s now “taking speedy motion” to deal with considerations about poverty ranges.

Shona McMahon, the petition creator highlighted the extreme monetary pressure that these on advantages undergo in the course of the festive interval, particularly after cuts to Winter Gas Funds.

She stated: “Christmas is THE most costly time of the yr! Pensioners, the weak and other people like myself, disabled, may do with an additional increase at the moment of yr, particularly because the power help has been axed.”

The Division outlined a number of measures being applied to deal with these considerations

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“It was stunning to be taught that the ‘£10 Christmas Bonus’ has been the identical for over 5 a long time.”

In response to the petition, a DWP spokesman stated: “We’re taking speedy motion to show across the dire inheritance we face – with extra folks dwelling in poverty now than 14 years in the past.”

The Division outlined a number of measures being applied to deal with these considerations.

These embody “extending the Family Help Fund for probably the most weak, kickstarting work to develop a technique to scale back youngster poverty, and taking the primary steps in the direction of delivering a real dwelling wage for working folks,” the spokesman added.

The response comes as campaigners proceed to press for a rise within the festive cost.

One other petition prior highlighted the clear impression of inflation on the Christmas bonus since its introduction in 1972.

The petitioners argue that the present £10 cost is “nearly insulting” for these dwelling “hand to mouth” and in concern of profit reassessment.

When adjusted for inflation, campaigners recommend the bonus ought to be value roughly £130 in the present day.

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The petiton learn: “The DWP Christmas bonus for profit claimants is a measly £10 – hardly sufficient to cowl the prices related to holidays.

“It’s nearly insulting to be introduced with an sum of money this small – the equal of 76p earlier than inflation – when many people are already dwelling hand to mouth and in fixed concern of getting our advantages reassessed or revoked. Disabled and low-income folks deserve higher.”

The cost was briefly elevated to £70 in 2008 in the course of the monetary crash however was diminished again to £10 the next yr.

The £10 Christmas bonus is paid routinely to eligible claimants initially of December, with funds anticipated by December 31 on the newest.

The tax-free cost seems as “DWP XB” on financial institution statements and doesn’t have an effect on different advantages.

Recipients should be claiming qualifying advantages in the course of the first full week of December, together with State Pension, PIP, Incapacity Residing Allowance, and Carer’s Allowance.

Claimants should be current or “ordinarily resident” within the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or Gibraltar in the course of the qualifying week.

Married {couples}, civil companions, or these dwelling collectively can each obtain the bonus in the event that they meet eligibility standards.

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