The payment is worth 100% of your weekly scheme and is expected to benefit around 1.5 million long-term welfare recipients
Euro notes in purse(Image: Getty Images)
The payment date for the Christmas Bonus is fast approaching – but not everyone will qualify for the festive boost.
The Christmas Bonus is a one-off double week payment for individuals receiving a long-term social welfare payment – and it’s worth 100% of your weekly scheme.
There’s no need to apply for the Bonus – if you’re eligible, you’ll receive it automatically.
The payment was confirmed as part of Budget 2026 and is expected to benefit around 1.5 million long-term welfare recipients.
While the Department of Social Protection has not yet announced the exact date, it did confirm that the Christmas Bonus will be paid in December to those receiving a qualifying social welfare payment and it’s typically paid alongside your regular social welfare payment.
A rule that often trips people up each year is the requirement to be receiving certain payments for a specific duration, reports RSVP Live.
The Government has confirmed that the Christmas Bonus will be paid in December to around 1.5 million people, but not everyone on social welfare will qualify
According to the Department of Social Welfare website: “12 months duration on eligible social welfare payment or scheme is required in order to be eligible for Bonus.”
This applies to individuals receiving the Back to Education Allowance, Daily Expenses Allowance, Illness Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance.
While the exact payment date for the Christmas Bonus hasn’t been confirmed yet, based on past years, it’s anticipated to be paid to recipients on Monday, 1 December.
Individuals who are receiving the following payments will get the Christmas Bonus.
- Back to Education Allowance
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Beneficiary of Temporary Protection Weekly Payment
- Blind Pension
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer’s Benefit
- Community Employment
- Daily Expenses Allowance
- Deserted Wife’s Allowance
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian’s Payment
- Illness Benefit
- Invalidity Pension
- Job Initiative Scheme
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
- Magdalen Commission Scheme
- Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Rural Social Scheme
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance (long-term)
- Tús (community work placement initiative)
- Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Work Placement Experience Programme
Some people may be eligible for a double Christmas Bonus without even realising it. Those receiving more than one social welfare payment will get a bonus for each one.
For example, someone receiving the One-Parent Family Payment as well as the Domiciliary Care Allowance or a half-rate Carer’s Allowance will get a bonus on both payments.
You can find out more here.
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