It has been an incredibly difficult year for households around Ireland due to the cost of living.
Thankfully, it looks like December will see far fewer bill increases and price hikes.
Instead, thousands of people are in line to receive several cost of living payments and social welfare hikes.
Read more: Using your heating less can actually cost you more money
Here is everything you need to know about:
Child Benefit
People should expect a double payment of Child Benefit for each child on 5 December 2023.
Christmas Bonus
A Christmas Bonus of 100% will be paid in the week beginning 4 December 2023 to people getting a qualifying social welfare payment.
You are paid a Christmas Bonus if you are getting:
Back to Education Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use time on jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
Back to Work Family Dividend
Benefit payment for 65 year olds
Blind Pension
Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit (including half-rate Carer's Allowance)
Community Employment
Deserted Wife's Allowance and Deserted Wife's Benefit
Daily Expenses Allowance, formerly called Direct Provision Allowance for 12 months
Disability Allowance
Disablement Benefit
Domiciliary Care Allowance
Farm Assist
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
Illness Benefit for 12 months or more
Invalidity Pension
Job Initiative Scheme
Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months (312 days or more)
Jobseeker's Transitional payment
Magdalene Commission Scheme
Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
One-Parent Family Payment
Partial Capacity Benefit
Rural Social Scheme
State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory)
Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months (312 days or more)
Tús
Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
Work Placement Experience Programme
Living Alone Increase, the Island Allowance and the Over-80 Increase were also listed as groups being paid.
Energy credits
All domestic electricity customers will get €450 off their electricity bills.
The energy credit will be paid in 3 instalments of €150. The first payment will be made in December 2023, the second will be made in January 2024 and the third will be made in March 2024.
Disney+
Disney+ is increasing the cost of their subscription to Disney+ in Ireland.
New customers saw a hike from €8.99 to €10.99 in November, however, this change won’t come into effect for existing customers until 6 December.
The last time Disney+ increased their prices was in 2021, when the cost went up by €2, from €6.99 to €8.99
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