this petition seems to have had a renewed interest in the media given the situation re heating allowance. Petition · Raise the DWP Christmas Bonus from £10 for the first time in 51 YEARS!!!*� - United Kingdom · Change.org
I remember getting it in the late 80s, before they decided that people who had double (or more) my income needed it more, so withdrew it from me. I was, at the time, on supplementary benefit bed and breakfast rate(short version - it was DSS policy at the time that claimants must move every few weeks so as to discourage them from...well...something, and the only accommodation that was available was generally out of season B&B's), and after my landlord took his cut I was left with around £8 per week to live off, so an extra £10 was a big deal - for instance it would much more than pay for an entire christmas dinner, or components thereof if people were lucky enough to have things like a kitchen. To match it these days it seems likely that over £100 would be needed. Bunch of Christmas/claimant hating *&*(* at the DWP will not increase it, in fact they are more likely to remove it completely if their attention is called to the fact that it's still being paid.
It's the accompanying letter that says: here's your £10, and if the DWP has accidentally overpaid you then you'll be subject to legal proceedings and sanctions. So very festive and Christian.
What a Christmas card. Next favourite is the one from the jeweller I bought a gift from in 1997, who bafflingly still has enough hope I might go back one day that he somehow got hold of the new address when I moved.
I think they send it out with glee at the cold clutch of terror that the sight of a DWP envelope on the mat, brings as one is descending the stairs. I can imagine them rubbing their hands together. It ought to have a little picture of an overly happy evil gremlin on the envelope. (One for pompous parsnip AI thread perhaps?) Something that looks smiley and generous but is also reaallly creepy. In all honesty I'd happily forgo the tenner to avoid another DWP letter terror-spasm at any time of the year.
Stuff like this will probably be on the hit list for the Chancellor to cut in the budget. Along with making PIP a means tested or taxable benefit.
its not the 1st time in 52yrs. it was raised before but only for 1 year. Cant remember exact year.it was when Gordon Brown was chanceler.[ sp ] the Xmas before the year of him taking over as PM from Tony Blair so probably about 20 or so years ago.. it was raised to £60 for that year. it was a nice surprise.
as per the petition (see my earlier post) "It did go up by LABOUR to £70 in 2008 to help with the financial crash"
Labour refuses to increase even £10 Christmas bonus after winter fuel payment fury Labour refuses to increase even £10 Christmas bonus after winter fuel payment fury (msn.com)
Yeh . I was out by a couple of years. Gorden Brown became PM in 2007.And I thought it was £60, Not bad for someone with severe cognitive issues / brain fog etc. Also Not sure if it was solely because of the financial crash, there were other political reasons.
DWP's £10 Christmas bonus deemed 'meaningless' as UK families struggle with soaring costs DWP's £10 Christmas bonus deemed 'meaningless' as UK families struggle with soaring costs (msn.com)
