Christmas Bonus
What is it?
The Christmas Bonus is a lump sum payment paid to you if you are living in the Isle of Man or another eligible country and are receiving a qualifying benefit in the last complete benefit week in November (called "the relevant week").
Basic qualifying condition
You must be receiving at least one of the following qualifying benefits in the relevant week:
- Retirement Pension
- Long term Incapacity Benefit
- Widowed Parent's Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Unemployability Supplement or Allowance
- Income Support (subject to further conditions being satisfied)
- Employed Person's Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance (transitionally protected cases)
- Widowed Mother's Allowance (transitionally protected cases)
- Widow's Pension (transitionally protected cases)
- Industrial Death Benefit
Eligible countries
You must be living in any of the following eligible countries during the relevant week:
- IOM
- UK
- Channel Islands
- Gibraltar
- any European Economic Area (EEA) country
- Switzerland.
EEA countries are the EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
EU countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
How much could I get and how am I paid?
See the benefits rates for further details.
The bonus is normally paid with the qualifying benefit in the same way as the qualifying benefit is paid.
If you are part of a married couple, in a civil partnership, or you are living together as if you are and you both get a qualifying benefit, each of you will get a Christmas Bonus if certain conditions are satisfied.
How and when should I apply?
The bonus is paid automatically and there is no separate claim required.
For further information on the Christmas Bonus, please see downloadable documents.
