New benefit rates

Just a quick question. Have had the DWP increase in benefits letter for both ESA & DLA . For the first time in years under the Xmas bonus £0 was on there. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me. I have had the Xmas bonus for many years although last year I needed to chase it up and only got it in January.

I don't know the reason for the £0, but it seems to happen very frequently without affecting the claimants' Christmas bonuses.

Hi w,

I am only surmising, but it may be due to the end date that The Annual Uprating Letter runs to.

If the end date does not go beyond that last pay week of November 2014, this period would not include The Xmas Bonus, as The Xmas Bonus is only payable from the first pay week of December each year.

We also see confusion with this when members receive an ESA award letter, as if the end pay date only goes up to the last pay week of November, the members wrongly assume that the ESA award is only up to that date, this is not the case.

bro58