Full list of people eligible for Christmas bonus as Government keeps 'show on the road' for jobseekers

The Department of Social Protection has processed the equivalent of seven years' worth of jobseeker applications in just eight months, amid unprecedented chaos in the jobs market due to the pandemic.

Heather Humphries today confirmed that €389 million worth of Christmas bonuses will be paid out next week – a record for a Government that has battled for months to stay on top of the number of people attempting to claim State unemployment support.

The Minister for Social Protection told the Dail that staff in her department have "kept the show on the road" even as jobseekers' applications have skyrocketed as a result of Covid-19.

She added that €130 million has been spent this week alone in arrears to people on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP).

The Christmas bonus is set to light up the bank accounts of struggling families all over the country next Monday, December 7.

17/11/2020 Grafton Street, Dublin as the Christmas lights were switched on (Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Agency) (Collins Agency, Dublin)

And 311,000 people on the PUP will be able to claim the Christmas bonus, the Government has confirmed in recent days.

Those who were on the PUP but are returning to work this week will still get the Christmas Bonus this year, with the payments set to be made on an "exceptional basis."

Here's the full list of social welfare payments that entitle you to this year's Christmas bonus:

• Back to Education Allowance in some cases
• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
• Back to Work Family Dividend
• Blind Pension
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer’s Benefit
• Community Employment Schemes
• COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

  in some cases

• Daily Expenses Allowance
• Deserted Wife’s Benefit and Allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Disablement Benefit
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Guardian’s payments (Contributory and Non- Contributory)
• Invalidity Pension
• Job Initiative
• Jobseeker’s Allowance ( long term)
• Jobseeker's Allowance

  in some cases

• Jobseeker's Benefit

  in some cases

• Jobseeker’s Transition Payment
• Magdalene Commission Scheme
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Partial Capacity Benefit
• Part-time Job Incentive
• Rural Social Scheme
• State Pensions (Contributory and Non- Contributory)
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance
• TÚS
• Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Pensions (Contributory and Non- Contributory)