Minister Regina Doherty announces payment of Social Welfare Christmas Bonus

The Christmas Bonus will be paid to over 1.2 million social welfare recipients this week (commencing Monday 27th November), with payments totalling €219 million being made to pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents, long-term unemployed people and many other recipients.

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection welcomed the payment of the Bonus – paid at the rate of 85% of a person’s normal weekly payment – to over 630,000 pensioners and 580,000 other social welfare recipients.

The majority of customers will receive the Bonus this week.

“I am very pleased that the Christmas Bonus is being paid again this year,” Minister Doherty said. “Not only is it a welcome additional support for social welfare customers in the run-up to Christmas – in many cases, the money is spent locally and provides a real boost for local economies.”

Note for Editors

See Appendix 1 (attached) for a list of schemes for which the Christmas bonus will be paid and number of recipients

See Appendix 2 (attached) for examples of Christmas Bonus payments

APPENDIX 1

Recipient Numbers by Scheme

Payment by Family Type