A lesser known rule means that some people will get double the Christmas Bonus this year.

The payment is expected to be sent out to those eligible in the week beginning 4 December 2023.

However, for some people, they might receive more than just one of their normal payments.

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According to the government, if you are getting two eligible social welfare payments you will get the Christmas Bonus for both payments.

They gave an example of how this would work. For a person receiving the One-Parent Family Payment and the Domiciliary Care Allowance, they would get two bonuses.

The same would happen for some on a half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well as your primary payment.

How much is the Christmas Bonus?

The Christmas Bonus in 2023 is worth 100% of your normal weekly payment.

Living Alone Increase, the Island Allowance and the Over-80 Increase are also included in 2023.

If an Increase for a Qualified Adult is paid directly to your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, the Christmas Bonus is also paid directly to them.

For Domiciliary Care Allowance, which is paid monthly, the bonus is 100% of the weekly DCA rate. It is calculated independently of other payments.

Heather Humphreys, the Minister for Social Protection
Heather Humphreys, the Minister for Social Protection

Who gets a Christmas Bonus?

A Christmas Bonus is paid to people getting long-term social welfare payments.

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.

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