State Pension Christmas Payment and Christmas Bonus dates for 2024

04 November 2024

When can you expect to receive State Pension, Christmas Bonus and Winter Fuel Payments for 2024?

December this year will, as usual, see a change in payment date for some people who receive the State Pension. We look at when to expect your December pension payment. We also confirm dates for payments of the pension Christmas Bonus and the Winter Fuel Payment.

When is the pension payment closest to Christmas?

People receiving the UK State Pension will typically receive their December payment before Christmas. This is the case even if their payment date would normally fall later in the month. The usual approach is for the State Pension Christmas payment date to be no later than the last banking day before 25 December.

This is to avoid payment dates clashing with the Christmas Day and Boxing Day bank holidays. Benefits payments aren’t typically made on bank holidays. This reflects the fact that banks and government departments aren’t fully staffed on these days. 

When will I receive my pension Christmas Bonus?

People who receive the State Pension are also typically eligible for a Christmas Bonus. This is an annual tax-free payment of £10 paid automatically in the first full week of December.

The Christmas Bonus is payable to people receiving State Pension or certain other eligible benefits. These include the guarantee element of Pension Credit, Carer Support Payment and Child Disability Payment. It is payable to people across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Gibraltar.

When will I receive the Winter Fuel Payment?

Some people who receive the State Pension will also benefit from the Winter Fuel Payment. Eligible people will typically receive this in November or December 2024. This is a one-off annual payment. 

Until this year, it was paid to most residents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who were of State Pension age. For 2024, that means anyone born before 23 September 1958. 

However, from this year Winter Fuel Payments will only be made to people in this age group who receive specific means-tested benefits. These include Pension Credit, Universal Credit and Income Support. There are some exceptions, as explained on the government’s Winter Fuel Payment page. 

The government is writing to everyone eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment to confirm how much they will receive. The amount each person receives is £200 or £300 depending on their date of birth and other individual circumstances in the ‘qualifying week’ of 16-22 September 2024.

Government advice is to contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre if you do not get a letter or the money in your bank account by 29 January 2025.

Arrangements differ in Scotland. Here, a Winter Heating payment of £58.75 will be paid from December 2024 to people who qualify for certain benefits – see the Winter Heating Payment page for details. 

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