Christmas Bonus: spending and claimants by year
Spending on Christmas Bonus each financial year, in cash terms, from DWP's benefit expenditure tables, with the number of people receiving it where DWP gives a caseload.
£181 million
18,086 thousand
DWP's benefit expenditure tables record spending on Christmas Bonus of £181 million in 2024/25, in cash terms. The first year with spending in the tables is 1972/73 (£81 million). DWP's caseload for 2024/25 is 18,086 thousand. Cash spending was highest in 2008/09, at £1.0 billion.
Spending and caseload by year
| Year | Spending (cash) | Change on previous year | Caseload (thousands) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | £181 million | +4.2% | 18,086 |
| 2023/24 | £174 million | +4.1% | 17,350 |
| 2022/23 | £167 million | +3.3% | 16,662 |
| 2021/22 | £161 million | +1.7% | 16,120 |
| 2020/21 | £159 million | -0.2% | 15,852 |
| 2019/20 | £159 million | +0.4% | 15,885 |
| 2018/19 | £158 million | -0.7% | 15,812 |
| 2017/18 | £159 million | -0.2% | 15,922 |
| 2016/17 | £160 million | -2.3% | 15,952 |
| 2015/16 | £163 million | +3.4% | 16,322 |
| 2014/15 | £158 million | +2.1% | 15,789 |
| 2013/14 | £155 million | -0.8% | 15,460 |
| 2012/13 | £156 million | +0.3% | 15,586 |
| 2011/12 | £156 million | +0.5% | 15,547 |
| 2010/11 | £155 million | +0.7% | 15,466 |
| 2009/10 | £154 million | -85.3% | 15,370 |
| 2008/09 | £1.0 billion | +609.0% | 14,918 |
| 2007/08 | £147 million | +1.5% | 14,731 |
| 2006/07 | £145 million | +1.5% | 14,507 |
| 2005/06 | £143 million | +0.6% | 14,299 |
| 2004/05 | £142 million | +0.9% | 14,223 |
| 2003/04 | £141 million | +2.7% | 14,086 |
| 2002/03 | £137 million | +0.5% | 13,721 |
| 2001/02 | £137 million | +1.0% | 13,649 |
| 2000/01 | £135 million | +0.7% | 13,518 |
| 1999/00 | £134 million | -4.4% | 13,430 |
| 1998/99 | £141 million | +1.1% | 14,048 |
| 1997/98 | £139 million | -3.5% | 13,904 |
| 1996/97 | £144 million | +3.7% | 14,405 |
| 1995/96 | £139 million | +2.2% | 13,894 |
| 1994/95 | £136 million | -0.1% | 13,591 |
| 1993/94 | £136 million | +6.4% | 13,601 |
| 1992/93 | £128 million | +2.2% | 12,776 |
| 1991/92 | £125 million | +2.7% | 12,500 |
| 1990/91 | £122 million | +0.7% | 12,170 |
| 1989/90 | £121 million | +2.7% | 12,077 |
| 1988/89 | £118 million | +1.5% | 11,761 |
| 1987/88 | £116 million | +0.8% | 11,587 |
| 1986/87 | £115 million | +2.7% | 11,500 |
| 1985/86 | £112 million | +0.9% | 11,200 |
| 1984/85 | £111 million | +1.8% | 11,100 |
| 1983/84 | £109 million | +0.9% | 10,900 |
| 1982/83 | £108 million | +0.9% | 10,800 |
| 1981/82 | £107 million | +3.9% | 10,700 |
| 1980/81 | £103 million | +2.0% | 10,300 |
| 1979/80 | £101 million | – | 10,100 |
| 1978/79 | £101 million | +3.1% | 10,100 |
| 1977/78 | £98 million | 9,800 | |
| 1976/77 | £0 million | -100.0% | |
| 1975/76 | £0.1 million | -99.9% | 10 |
| 1974/75 | £92 million | +15.2% | 9,190 |
| 1973/74 | £80 million | -0.9% | 7,980 |
| 1972/73 | £81 million | 8,050 |
Source: DWP expenditure tables, Tables 1a and 1c. About these figures · CSV
Sources and receipts
- Benefit expenditure and caseload tables: outturn and forecast, Spring Forecast 2026, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: outturn-and-forecast-tables-spring-forecast-2026.xlsx. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
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