Christmas Bonus

Mine hasn’t arrived yet do I get 25p more for being over 80
🤣🤣🤣

Mine arrived too…..means I can donate a little more to local charities in lieu of sending Christmas cards

In 2024/25 it cost more than £130 million to pay. It is however a contributory benefit (unlike the Winter Fuel Payment) that people have paid NIC towards else it would have been abolished years ago.

When it was introduced in 1972 it was more than a week's basic state pension for a single person. Now it’s little more than a token but you can bet that any move to abolish it would be met with outrage.

We lag behind Spain. I used to see coaches arriving at the Costa del Sol resort of Málaga disgorging hoardes of pensioners in the winter months. The hotels were glad of the trade (even though heavily discounted for groups).

This from Google:
Spanish pensioners receive an extra "Christmas bonus" which is one of two mandatory annual bonuses, called pagas extraordinarias, equivalent to one month's pension.

This payment is typically made around November 25th and is in addition to the 12 monthly pension payments, totaling 14 payments per year. The Christmas payment is usually double what a pensioner receives in a standard month.

Retire in three weeks so I’ll look forward to it next year.

We've had ours this morning. We usually give it to charity. I'm sure it's a little help to some pensioners.

Yes I’ve just checked and mine is in.
Now the dilemma, what to treat myself to…
I am not hardhearted, I give to two Charities at Christmas and have already done so.

I’ve given to Helen and Douglas House hospice in Oxford for their Christmas appeal. I can’t think of anything worse than knowing my child or teenager will be celebrating their final Christmas.

Living in Ireland, I get a double pension this week. We've been getting a double week Christmas bonus since I became a pensioner.

That's 300+ euros towards our Christmas shopping.

It’s about time this bonus was stopped and included in an increase in the pension.
I do realise that the bonus is not taxed, but a pension increase would be. Like many we shall be adding it to our charitable giving.

Bluebelle no. I would think that large amount can only be afforded once.

The £10 should allow the beating to be on for 3 days. It must cost more to administer, I would rather the Government kept the money as it is useless. To us, not to the charity receiving the kind gesture.

Yes grannycool but what do you pay for an X-ray if you need one ?

J52

It’s about time this bonus was stopped and included in an increase in the pension.
I do realise that the bonus is not taxed, but a pension increase would be. Like many we shall be adding it to our charitable giving.

These extras are not added into the SP because they can be taken away at any time.

Tesco was having a FareShare promotion last week, you could just pick up a ready-filled bag (or more), differently priced and add to your weekly shop for the Food Bank.

I’ve donated mine & Himself’s to The Telegraph Christmas Appeal which supports 4 charities. All excellent organisations.

Blow charities, I am going to go wild with mine (and DH's). We are considering a fish and chips supper, with a can of coke each.

Don’t blame you MOnica!

The 'Christmas Bonus was introduced in the early 70s and has remained unchanged since then. When it was introduced it was 'worth' in current values, about £120.

I really don't know why it hasn't been stopped. Would we miss it

Anybody else not had theirs or am I the only one, I m so upset and concerned !!!!!

M0nica

Blow charities, I am going to go wild with mine (and DH's). We are considering a fish and chips supper, with a can of coke each.

I noticed on Shetland last week the ‘grass’ bought a fish supper - it was £16. You might get a bag of chips with the coke

No, 2 modest pieces of fish and one portion of chips was £13.50, cash only, at my local chippy a few weeks ago. £4.50 should get us 2 cokes.

I think it’s a waste of time and effort to pay a Christmas bonus. I don’t think the £10 should be removed, but it should be assimilated into the normal pension each week in future.

I’m going to blow mine as well.

Another who thinks it should be stopped/incorporated into pension if necessary.
It sounds as if most of us are going to donate our tenner - Great North Air Ambulance gets mine.