Christmas Payment Dates and Bonus 2023

If you get a social welfare payment, the date which you receive your payment may change during the Christmas and New Year period. Details of all payment arrangements for this period are provided below.

Weekly payments

If you receive a weekly social welfare payment, you will get your payment as usual during the week commencing Monday 18 December, and an advanced payment for the following week. This applies to payments made at post offices, by cheque or directly into your financial institution account.

If you are claiming on a casual basis: where dockets have been provided in advance, two payments covering the signing weeks ending 19 and 26 December (Jobseeker’s Allowance), or 20 and 27 December (Jobseeker’s Benefit) will be paid into accounts on Friday, 22 December.

Normal payment arrangements for week ending 2 and 3 January will resume on Tuesday, 2 January 2024.

Illness Benefit customers: please continue to send in your ‘Certificate of Incapacity for Work’ over the Christmas and New Year period.

The change in social welfare payment dates will also affect part-time, casual or short-time workers over the Christmas and New Year period. In order to ensure you receive your payments on time this month, please follow the guidelines on MyWelfare.ie on how to submit your work patterns correctly.

If you are getting income support from the Department of Social Protection you should let us know of your absence in advance of travel, you can do this by visiting your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.

A 100% Christmas Bonus will be paid in the week beginning 4 December 2023.

This year’s Christmas Bonus has been extended to those who have been getting Illness Benefit for 12 months or longer. If you are a long term Illness Benefit recipient, you will receive your Christmas Bonus between Tuesday 5 December 2023 and Friday 22 December 2023.

Please note a minimum bonus amount of €20 will be paid.

You may receive the bonus if you are getting:

• Back to Education Allowance *
• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
• Back to Work Family Dividend
• Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds
• Blind Pension
• Carer’s Allowance
• Carer’s Benefit
• Community Employment Scheme
• Daily Expenses Allowance *
• Death Benefit Scheme
• Deserted Wife’s Benefit and Allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Disablement Benefit
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Guardian’s Payments (Contributory and Non-contributory)
• Illness Benefit (bonus will be paid between Tuesday 5 December 2023 and Friday 22 December 2023) *
• Invalidity Pension
• Jobseeker’s Allowance *
• Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
• Magdalene Commission Scheme
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Partial Capacity Benefit
• Rural Social Scheme
• State Pensions (Contributory and Non-contributory)
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance *
• Tús
• Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Pensions (Contributory and Non-contributory)
• the Christmas Bonus will only be paid to you if you have been getting an eligible payment for at least 12 months.

All department offices, including Intreo Centres and Branch Offices, will be closed on Monday 25, Tuesday 26 December 2023 and Monday 1 January 2024.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Department of Social Protection.