The Christmas Bonus is an annual, tax-free, lump sum payment to pensioners and to working age people who are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits during the relevant week which is usually the first full week in December.<\/p>
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The bonus was initially introduced as a one-off payment of £10 in 1972 and has not been uprated or increased on a yearly basis. The Government remains committed to providing support to pensioners and others who receive the payments and has no current plans to revise the arrangements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4780", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Laura Trott"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sevenoaks"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Laura Trott"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-01-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-01-09T16:03:44.717Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-12-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Christmas Bonus: Uprating"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of ensuring that the annual Christmas bonus to recipients of benefits is increased in line with inflation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3943", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jonathan Edwards"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carmarthen East and Dinefwr"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jonathan Edwards"} ], "uin" : "113260"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1417311", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1417311/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Increases to regulated rail fares in England will be capped and tied to the Retail Price Index (RPI) figure for July 2021 (3.8 per cent). The Government has deliberately continued to use the July RPI figure as it was lower than subsequent months. In addition, as in 2021, we have temporarily frozen fares for passengers to travel at the lower price for the entirety of January\u202fand February 2022, with fares changing on 1 March 2022.<\/p>
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The fares rise in the West Midlands will be in line with the national rise. Rail fares outside England are a devolved matter and decisions regarding fares increases\u202fare for the devolved administrations.<\/p>
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We have recently introduced flexible season rail tickets, in England, which provide better value to most two to three day-a-week commuters than buying daily tickets or traditional seasons. We have also saved a generation of passengers a third off their rail fares, including the 16-17 Saver and 26-30 Railcards and, most recently, the Veterans Railcard. Railcard discounts are available UK wide.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4358", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wendy Morton"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aldridge-Brownhills"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Wendy Morton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-02-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-02-01T17:18:13.99Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-01-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Railways: Fares"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of train fares in (a) the West Midlands and (b) across the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4742", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Stuart Anderson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wolverhampton South West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Stuart Anderson"} ], "uin" : "113260"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1249552", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1249552/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Minimum Income Requirement is set at a level which prevents burdens on the taxpayer and promotes integration.<\/p>
We recognise COVID-19 will have an economic impact on earnings including on those families where, because of a non-EEA family member, the minimum income requirement applies. We have therefore made relevant adjustments in order to support those affected.<\/p>
Such adjustments are among a range of measures put in place by the Home Office to support those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. These are set out for customers on GOV.UK and are available here:<\/p>