Thousands of people in Ireland who are in receipt of social welfare payments will be getting their Christmas bonus from today as the festive season approaches.
The boost will come as a huge relief for many amid the cost of living crisis, and one additional payment added to the eligibility criteria this year will help even more.
The government confirmed that the annual payout for weekly pensions and welfare benefits will be sent out starting on Monday, December 5 in a bid to cushion the financial blow that comes with the time of year.
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It will be paid along with your normal weekly payment on its usual date and an additional 100% of your weekly sum - with a minimum payout of €20.
This year, the payment will see thousands more people receiving the cash boost as the scheme is extended to those on Illness Benefit for the first time.
Social Protection minister, Heather Humphreys confirmed the news today and said: “I’m particularly pleased that this year’s Christmas Bonus will be extended to people on long-term Illness Benefit for the first time.
“The vast majority of people are on Illness Benefit for a very short period of time and then return to work however there is a small cohort of people with serious medical conditions who remain on the payments for longer periods of time.
“These are people who have worked all their lives, paid their PRSI, and then have to take time out of the workforce due to serious and possibly long-lasting health conditions.”
This year, €293.7 million has been assigned to be paid to 1.27 million long-term welfare recipients in the month of December 2022.
People who are getting the following payments will get the bonus:
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds
- Blind Pension
- Carer's Allowance
- Carer's Benefit
- Community Employment
- Daily Expenses Allowance (long-term)
- Deserted Wife's Allowance
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian's Payment
- Invalidity Pension
- Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
- Jobseeker's Allowance (long-term)
- Magdalen Commission Scheme
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Rural Social Scheme
- Illness Benefit
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance (long-term)
- Tús (community work placement initiative)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
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