Press release
Minister Humphreys announces payment dates for Budget 2024 cost of living lump sum supports
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has today announced the payment dates for the €1.2 billion cost of living supports introduced as part of Budget 2024.
The Social Protection package in Budget 2024 is the largest in the history of the State and will assist pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, and families with the cost of living through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments.
A total of nine lump sum payments will be paid between November 2023 and January 2024.
The lump sum payments announced as part of the Budget include:
Announcing the details today, Minister Humphreys said:
“I know a lot of people are genuinely struggling to make ends meets at the moment. In order to ease the pressure and stress that many households are facing, I am bringing forward this series of nine lump sum payments to support people.
“These payments, totalling over €1.2 billion, will support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and families over the coming months. The payment schedule I am announcing today is designed to give people certainty and some peace of mind so they know exactly when these supports will be made to them.
“Budget 2024 represents the largest social protection budget package in the history of the State. The mix of lump sum payments to support people over the winter months, together with the increases in weekly rates and range of targeted measures is designed to help people through the current cost of living challenges we are facing.”
The payment dates and the number of recipients for each of the lump sum supports are outlined below.
| Budget 2024 measure | Payment date | Approximate number of recipients |
| €400 cost of living payment to those in receipt of Working Family Payment | Week commencing 20 November 2023 | 46,000 |
| €400 Disability Support Grant to people receiving Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension | Week commencing 20 November 2023 | 214,000 |
| Fuel Allowance lump sum of €300 | Week commencing 20 November 2023 | 409,000 |
| €400 Carer's Support Grant | Week commencing 27 November 2023 | 130,000 |
| €200 payment to people in receipt of Living Alone Allowance | Week commencing 27 November 2023 | 237,000 |
| €100 lump sum for each child in respect of whom an Increase for a Qualified Child is in payment | Week commencing 27 November 2023 | 370,000 children |
| Christmas Bonus double payment | Week commencing 4 December 2023 | 1.3 million |
| Double Child Benefit payment | 5 December 2023 | 650,000 families in respect of 1.2 million children |
| January cost of living double payment | Week commencing 29 January 2024 | 1.3 million |
In addition to the series of lump sum payments, Minister Humphreys also secured across-the-board welfare increases of €12 per week from January 2024, and a range of targeted measures to take effect throughout 2024.
The full list of Budget 2024 Social Protection measures is available at www.gov.ie/DSPBudget24.
All the lump sum and double payments are automatically paid - people do not need to apply for them.
The once off payment of €400 to people getting Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension and/or the Carer’s Support Grant, is only payable in respect of one payment, even if a person qualifies for more than one of the payments or are caring for more than one person.