some further info coming through on the £60 payment to be made to those entitled to a xmas bonus announced in this week's pre-Budget report ...

... in terms of access to the payment on the back of entitlement to ESA .. the rules are that you have to be entitled to a support or work-related activity component at the qualifying date (at the end of december)

... however, given ESA was only launched on 27 oct, and you don't (unless terminally ill) get a component until you're in the main phase of the benefit (after 13 weeks) ... the qualifying week for the £60 payment will have passed

thanks to gary vaux at hertfordshire council and mark baker at RNID for spottting this

ps - HB Bulletin U2/2008 also advises that 'this payment should be treated as capital in the normal way'.