# Christmas Bonus **URL:** \ **Category:** Everyday living\ **Created:** [7 December 2015 13:17 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615 "2015-12-07T13:17:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inactive\_User](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3e96dc/32.png) [@Inactive\_User](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Inactive_User)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 13:17 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/1 "2015-12-07T13:17:59Z")
Just got my letter about the Christmas bonus. Don’t you think it’s about time they scrapped this? I bet you never expected me to suggest a benefit cut. I just think that ten quid is a ridiculous sum of money. It really doesn’t help with Christmas. At best you could treat yourself to something small but I’d like to bet that for most people it just gets swallowed up in the weekly budget. At a time when cuts are swinging this is one that I wouldn’t miss. If you add up all the ten pounds, the postage to tell you about it and the administrative costs it would come to a sizeable sum which could be spent on something more meaningful. If there must be a bonus at least make it means tested. At the moment it’s paid to everyone on DLA for example - I’m sure a lot of people with DLA don’t need a blooming bonus! Jane ---
**Author:** ![Ssssue](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/ssssue/32/4182_2.png) [@Ssssue](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Ssssue)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 14:45 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/2 "2015-12-07T14:45:03Z")
Agreed Jane. Should be scrapped. Even for people on means tested benefits. It doesn’t make enough of a difference to anyone and it’s massively expensive. My OH says he’s got no plans how to spend his. Me, I’m going to buy two big tins of Quality Street with mine! Otherwise I’ll just fritter it away! Sue ---
**Author:** ![Robin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Robin](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Robin)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 16:38 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/3 "2015-12-07T16:38:15Z")
Hi Jane, Lovely to hear from you. Hope you are feeling better, well as better as you can be. Im with you on this one, could quite happily live without it. Saying that, I haven’t received it this year yet. Nice idea Sue but my hips really wouldn’t appreciate it but a nice bottle of Malbec would go down a treat. Mags xx ---
**Author:** ![chocorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/41988e/32.png) [@chocorange](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/chocorange)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 17:50 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/4 "2015-12-07T17:50:42Z")
hiya jane i agree. i got my letter this morning too. today i am sat here with no heating but at least i am in my house. i am very near carlisle and so will be donating my £10 to them this year-along with jumpers. the ‘help’ people are also desperate for bottled water and underwear. the situation is just beyond belief… ellie ---
**Author:** ![krakowian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f04885/32.png) [@krakowian](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/krakowian)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 20:55 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/5 "2015-12-07T20:55:38Z")
it may only be £10 but, as they say in this part of Yorkshire ‘it’s better in thy pocket than in theirs!’ ---
**Author:** ![Cambronne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@Cambronne](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Cambronne)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 21:06 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/6 "2015-12-07T21:06:27Z")
I received my Christmas bonus the other day. I’ve ordered a Bentley! ---
**Author:** ![fudgey37](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c0e974/32.png) [@fudgey37](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/fudgey37)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 21:31 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/7 "2015-12-07T21:31:55Z")
Hi, I’m so relieved that someone has pointed this out, I don’t claim any benefits but even if I felt that I really needed to I would be shocked to think the government would give everybody on DLA/PIP a £10 bonus. I’m sure most claimants would admit that this £10 could be better spent elsewhere and I would think that all of those £10’s add up to a really substantial amount which could go into more research for diseases such as MS, Dementia and a whole host of other conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Inactive\_User](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3e96dc/32.png) [@Inactive\_User](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Inactive_User)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 23:03 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/8 "2015-12-07T23:03:55Z")
I didn’t get my Christmas bonus, they forgot about me, guess I was bad ---
**Author:** ![Poppy6488](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/poppy6488/32/79_2.png) [@Poppy6488](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Poppy6488)\ **Post date:** [7 December 2015 23:26 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/9 "2015-12-07T23:26:56Z")
In Ireland it’s 75% of the weekly payment. They don’t waste money on postage either. It’s just paid directly to your bank if you’re in receipt of a welfare payment. I am very grateful for the payment. I’ll still give something to a charity or donate to a food bank. ---
**Author:** ![Inactive\_User](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3e96dc/32.png) [@Inactive\_User](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Inactive_User)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 10:11 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/10 "2015-12-08T10:11:39Z")
Those on basic state pension get the £10 Christmas bonus too. The bonus is not means tested. ---
**Author:** ![Horsemad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@Horsemad](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Horsemad)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 11:21 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/11 "2015-12-08T11:21:58Z")
To some people £10 is a lot of money, me included it will heat my home for a few days. ---
**Author:** ![alison100](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/alison100/32/1019_2.png) [@alison100](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/alison100)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 11:49 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/12 "2015-12-08T11:49:11Z")
> [@Wendels](#): > > If there must be a bonus at least make it means tested. At the moment it’s paid to everyone on DLA for example - I’m sure a lot of people with DLA don’t need a blooming bonus! Dangerous waters, Jane! If it is OK to means test the DLA bonus because some recipients don’t really need the money (true, I expect), then how to defend against the argument that DLA be means tested in its entirety for exactly the same reason! 🙂 Alison ---
**Author:** ![fabs](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/fabs/32/28_2.png) [@fabs](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/fabs)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 14:24 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/13 "2015-12-08T14:24:26Z")
Given that it would cost way more than £10 per person to means test it, it would be an awful waste of money and rather counter productive. Don’t stress out about it. Donate it to charity, buy a coupe of drinks in the pub, buy someone an extra pressie. It’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Ssssue](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/ssssue/32/4182_2.png) [@Ssssue](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Ssssue)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 15:56 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/14 "2015-12-08T15:56:35Z")
That’s a really good point Alison. Either it should be applied only to means tested benefits, or to none. As someone on this thread pointed out, to some people it’s worth much more than to others. But giving the government a big stick to beat us up with (ie. in effect making the argument that DLA should/could be means tested) is not a step forward. Sue ---
**Author:** ![folksongs19884](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@folksongs19884](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/folksongs19884)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 18:04 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/15 "2015-12-08T18:04:29Z")
I don’t think you get it with PIP. I didn’t anyway xxx ---
**Author:** ![Horsemad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@Horsemad](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Horsemad)\ **Post date:** [8 December 2015 18:50 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/16 "2015-12-08T18:50:33Z")
> [@folksongs19884](#): > > I don’t think you get it with PIP. I didn’t anyway xxx Here’s a list for qualification [Christmas Bonus: Eligibility - GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/christmas-bonus/eligibility) ---
**Author:** ![Inactive\_User](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3e96dc/32.png) [@Inactive\_User](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Inactive_User)\ **Post date:** [11 December 2015 19:23 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/17 "2015-12-11T19:23:53Z")
Thanks everyone for commenting. when I suggested means testing I meant that it should only be paid to an income related benefit not that a separate means test should be applied. My thinking was that it is ludicrous to give £10.00 to people who were on incomes above the level of income related benefits on the grounds that it would make no naffing difference to them. I would gladly give up my £10.00 if it meant that someone in real need could have £20.00 I feel similarly about the winter fuel payment. You get this just by the virtue of being old. It’s paid equally to rich and poor. Lots of poor younger people would benefit greatly from a winter fuel payment but it must make absolutely no difference to wealthy, old recipients. Jane ---
**Author:** ![folksongs19884](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@folksongs19884](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/folksongs19884)\ **Post date:** [13 December 2015 15:56 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/christmas-bonus/34615/18 "2015-12-13T15:56:55Z")
Well, it appears that I am entitled to it, but didn’t get it for some reason xxx