The £10 Christmas bonus

kuepper

I've been a pensioner for 7 years and just noticed on my bank account I've received a £10 Christmas bonus . I don't remember ever receiving this before - just the winter fuel payment of £200, but I've switched banks several times in recent years so I don't know how I can check. Is it a new thing?

calcotti

No it’s a very old thing.
https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus
Introduced by the Edward Heath government in £1972 it was £10 then and has never had an uplift and given that £10 doesn’t go very far now is really a complete nonsense. Had it tracked inflation it would be worth about £115 now. 

poppy12345

kuepper said:

I've been a pensioner for 7 years and just noticed on my bank account I've received a £10 Christmas bonus . I don't remember ever receiving this before - just the winter fuel payment of £200, but I've switched banks several times in recent years so I don't know how I can check. Is it a new thing?

It's not a new thing, it's been around since the early 70's. Sometimes it's added onto an existing benefit, other times it's paid separately.

Spoonie_Turtle

calcotti said:

No it’s a very old thing.
https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus
Introduced by the Edward Heath government in £1972 it was £10 then and has never had an uplift and given that £10 doesn’t go very far now is really a complete nonsense. Had it tracked inflation it would be worth about £115 now. 

Wow!

I guess it's something they can't withdraw without outcry so it's easier just to leave it as is.

calcotti

Spoonie_Turtle said:

calcotti said:

No it’s a very old thing.
https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus
Introduced by the Edward Heath government in £1972 it was £10 then and has never had an uplift and given that £10 doesn’t go very far now is really a complete nonsense. Had it tracked inflation it would be worth about £115 now. 

Wow! I guess it's something they can't withdraw without outcry so it's easier just to leave it as is.

I think the £115 I quoted was actually low. Bank of England website says £10 in £1972 = £132.94 (in 2019).

The value of the State Pension and JSA was £6.75/week in 1972 so a £10 bonus was slightly over 10 days worth of benefit.
£10 now is less than one day of JSA (and if JSA had held it’s value would be about £90/week rather than £74.35).

Robbie64

When first introduced it was worth more than a full (Category A) weekly pension. Its equivalent in relative terms to a pension today would be around £200 (old Category A state pension) or £260 (new state pension payable from 2016).

MalMonroe

 Yes, I've been getting this since I retired a few years ago too and I like it! I also like the Winter Fuel Allowance that I receive. They both come in really handy.

MalMonroe

Spoonie_Turtle said:

calcotti said:

No it’s a very old thing.
https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus
Introduced by the Edward Heath government in £1972 it was £10 then and has never had an uplift and given that £10 doesn’t go very far now is really a complete nonsense. Had it tracked inflation it would be worth about £115 now. 

Wow!

I guess it's something they can't withdraw without outcry so it's easier just to leave it as is.

Although maybe not if people don't notice it - I have a friend who has only just realised she's been receiving a tenner every December for the past few years, similar to the OP.  One of those nice surprises, for a change.

Spoonie_Turtle

MalMonroe said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

calcotti said:

No it’s a very old thing.
https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus
Introduced by the Edward Heath government in £1972 it was £10 then and has never had an uplift and given that £10 doesn’t go very far now is really a complete nonsense. Had it tracked inflation it would be worth about £115 now. 

Wow!

I guess it's something they can't withdraw without outcry so it's easier just to leave it as is.

Although maybe not if people don't notice it - I have a friend who has only just realised she's been receiving a tenner every December for the past few years, similar to the OP.  One of those nice surprises, for a change.

Yes, I think the outcry would be on principle rather than due to the actual amount!

cantcope

i always donate mine to charity as I'm fortunate enough not to need it. i remember my mum years ago almost paying for our whole christmas dinner with it and a tin of chocolates!

Marmaduke123

I find it really annoying! It's  more than time it was scrapped, I'm sure the money could be put to better use. I suspect the same thing will happen to the winter fuel payment, it will be left to wither on the vine in the same way.