Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the purpose of the £10 Christmas Bonus; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which that purpose is being achieved.

The Christmas Bonus was introduced as a simple one-off tax-free lump sum payment, paid to pensioners and working age people in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. Recipients include some of the most vulnerable members of society. The Government remains committed to helping both pensioners and others who receive these payments.