A huge amount of people are set for a Christmas bonus from Monday.
The Christmas bonus is a double payment for recipients of certain social welfare payments.
The Department of Social Protection confirmed the date that people can expect their bonus to be paid from.
Read more: Government issue a warning to households ahead of first electricity credit this week
Here's everything you need to know about the Christmas bonus.
What is the Christmas bonus?
The Christmas Bonus is an extra payment for people getting a long-term social welfare payment.
You do not need to apply for the Bonus, if you qualify you’ll automatically get it.
The Bonus is normally paid with your social welfare payment.
When will it be paid?
A Christmas Bonus of 100% will be paid in the week beginning 4 December 2023 to people getting a qualifying social welfare payment.
Which payments qualify?
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 (364 days or more)
- Tús
- Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
- Work Placement Experience Programme
Fuel Allowance is not a qualifying payment for the Christmas Bonus.
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