Thousands of people will be eligible for a Christmas bonus social welfare payment under a memo going to Cabinet this morning.
Those in receipt of illness benefit for 12 months or more will receive a double payment this Christmas under the proposal being brought forward by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys. There are an estimated 17,500 people that will benefit from the proposed extension of the Christmas payment.
The standard rate of illness benefit, for those earning more than €300 a week gross, is €208, which means the benefit will be worth €416 in Christmas bonus week. A source close to the Minister last night told the Irish Mirror that she expects her ministerial colleagues at this morning’s Cabinet meeting to rubberstamp her proposal.
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The Christmas Bonus, which represents a doubling of weekly payments, is due to be paid in early December. It will benefit hundreds of thousands of pensioners, carers and people with disabilities and is the eighth lump sum payment made to support households with the cost of living.
Minister Humphreys is expected to tell Cabinet that while most people remain on Illness Benefit for a short period of time, there are currently around 17,500 people who are in receipt of the support for 12 months or more. Cabinet is also set to discuss a €5,000 increase of the social housing eligibility threshold for local authorities.
The proposal, which is being brought forward by Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien, will come into effect from the start of 2023.
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