Xmas bonus

Ganga

Just checked our joint bank account this morning and noticed a payment from the gov to my wife,s N.I. number of £10 with the letters XB after her NI number. As we do do not get or qualify for any benefits apart from state pension has this been paid in error ? i know i can ring the gov DWP but guess i would be hanging on the line all afternoon.

molerat

Far easier to Google than ring.

It is paid to all who receive SP.

https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus/eligibility

Ganga

molerat said:

Far easier to Google than ring.

It is paid to all who receive SP.

https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus/eligibility

Well we both have been retired since 2016 and i am sure this is the first time we have received it and i have not had any this year but she has, strange.

Robin9

You'll get yours in the fullness of time - mine came yesterday.

Have you both been receiving your SP since 2016 ?  Look back on your old statements. 

harz99

It may be that in past years the ten pounds "bonus" was lumped in with your weekly/monthly state pension payment rather than paid separately, which is easy to miss...

Ganga

Thanks for all the replies ,solved the problem now ,i defer my pension for a few years and took a lump sum and then re-defer it again and took another tax free lump sum ,i started taking my pension this year but as it had been in deference at the start of the tax year i am not entitled to the xmas bonus .

barnstar2077

This must be one of the most surprising things I have read about on these forums.  I mean, I am sure it is welcomed by many, but £10!  I think I will do some more googling, as I am now intrigued as to its origins.

TadleyBaggie

Introduced in 1972 (at £10), when the weekly state pension was £6.75, so a huge boost.

brewerdave

TadleyBaggie said:

Introduced in 1972 (at £10), when the weekly state pension was £6.75, so a huge boost.

Used to pay for a turkey AND a bottle of Scotch apparently - those were the days - now its a pint of lager and a packet of pork scratchings (if the pub is still open!!)

JezR

The Wilson government didn't pay it at all for two years but then bought it back. 

Ganga

brewerdave said:

TadleyBaggie said:

Introduced in 1972 (at £10), when the weekly state pension was £6.75, so a huge boost.

Used to pay for a turkey AND a bottle of Scotch apparently - those were the days - now its a pint of lager and a packet of pork scratchings (if the pub is still open!!)

I know it is not a fortune but i suppose there will be a lot of pensioners who will welcome a little bit extra at xmas