With Christmas fast approaching, many people will be eagerly awaiting their Christmas Bonus payment.
The additional welfare payment aims to support those struggling with the current cost of living crisis and soaring energy bills to hopefully bring some relief over the holiday period.
Each year, the Christmas Bonus is paid to those on long-term social welfare.
Here is everything you need to know about the bonus, including how much you can expect, when it is paid, who is eligible and what groups are exempt:
How much is the Christmas Bonus?
The Christmas Bonus is 100 per cent of your normal weekly social welfare payment. For example, if your normal long-term social welfare is €200 per week, the Christmas Bonus will be an additional €200 for a total weekly payment of €400. The Living Alone Increase, the Island Allowance and the Over-80 Increase are included, reports RSVP Live.
If you were getting two eligible social welfare payments (for example, a One-Parent Family Payment and the Domiciliary Care Allowance or a half-rate Carer's Allowance as well as your primary payment), you got the Christmas Bonus for both payments.
Who is exempt from this year's Christmas Bonus?
The Christmas Bonus does not include welfare payments for Fuel Allowance, Family Income Supplement or Working Family Payment, Illness Benefit and Maternity Benefit.
When is the Christmas Bonus paid?
The Christmas Bonus will be paid the week starting 5 December 2022.
If you are getting Domiciliary Care Allowance, the bonus will be paid with your monthly payment in December 2022.
Who is eligible for the Christmas Bonus?
You can get a Christmas Bonus if you are getting the following:
- 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 your time on your 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 Benefit
- Daily Expenses Allowance, formerly called Direct Provision Allowance for 12 months
- 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
- Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months (312 days)
- Jobseeker's Transitional payment
- Magdalene Laundry Payment
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Rural Social Scheme
- State Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months
- Tús
- VTOS Allowance for people coming from jobseeker's payments. You must 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.
- Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
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