Social welfare: Key group who will miss out on Christmas Bonus as payment due to be sent out

The Christmas Bonus is set to be paid to over 1 million people receiving social welfare payments next week.

The Minister for Social Protection announced on Wednesday that the Christmas Bonus payment will be paid to 1.4 million people.

Heather Humphreys confirmed that a 100% bonus payment would be issued to social welfare recipients at a cost of more than €313 million.

The annual cash bonus is given to people claiming a long-term social welfare payment.

The bonus is 100% of the normal weekly long-term social welfare payment which claimants receive, with the minimum amount being €20.

Heather Humphreys (Gareth Chaney/Collins)

Claimants eligible for the payment will receive the bonus between December 6 and December 10, meaning it is just a few days until the additional funds are distributed.

However while the qualifying period for those in receipt of an eligible Jobseeker's Payment has been reduced, it is still at 12 months.

Anyone who has not fulfilled this qualifying period, and is not otherwise eligible, will not be able to receive the payment.

Although Department of Social Protection officials added that time spent on PUP by people who are now on a Jobseeker's Payment WILL count towards the 12 month requirement.

Some 23 payments are eligible for the bonus, meaning the majority of social welfare recipients will get the extra cash soon.

The categories of social welfare claims eligible for the Christmas Bonus are:

• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
• Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP)
• Blind Pension
• Carer's Allowance and Benefit (including half-rate Carer's Allowance)
• Community Employment
• Deserted Wife's Allowance and Benefit
• Daily Expenses Allowance, formerly called Direct Provision Allowance (long-term only - 15 months/over 455 days)
• Disability Allowance
• Disablement Pension and Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Scheme
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
• Invalidity Pension
• Job Initiative
• Jobseeker's Allowance (for at least 104 days)
• Jobseeker's Transitional payment
• Magdalene Laundry Payment
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Partial Capacity Benefit
• Rural Social Scheme
• State Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
• Tús
• Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)