In the aftermath of Budget 2024, a number of social welfare recipients are in for a boost before Christmas.
Many families across the country continue to struggle making ends meet in the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The government is working to bring a number of reliefs to those most in need, but there are also boosts for workers across the board in Ireland following the announcement.
If you or a member of your family are in receipt of a social welfare payment, you may be in for a cash increase as the winter approaches.
Here’s what we know so far:
November
In November, all 404,000 households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance will receive a €300 cost of living lump sum.
However, the Department of Social Protection has yet to confirm the exact date the payment will arrive in people’s accounts.
It’s likely going to be on the same day each recipient get their usual Fuel Allowance payment.
Those in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance can expect a €200 payment in November as well.
This is a scheme paid out to OAPs and people with a disability who live on their own and will benefit around 47,000 people.
An extra €400 will be sent out to the 47,000 families on the Working Family Payment as well.
That’s not all, as around 350,000 who are currently on various other payments will also get a €400 boost in November.
It is understood that this will be paid to people on the Carer's Support Grant, the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and Domiciliary Care Allowance.
It’s important to note that recipients who are on several applicable payments will only get one lump sum.
Thousands of parents across Ireland will also benefit from an €100 lump sum on the Increase for a Qualified Child in November.
Parents will get €100 per qualified child.
December
All Irish parents will receive a double Child Benefit payment for each qualifying kid in December. This means a sum of €280 per child will be handed out.
The social welfare Christmas bonus will see a double weekly payment paid out to all weekly welfare schemes in early December.
This will benefit around 1.4 million people nationwide during the festive period.
A double payment of Foster Care Allowance will also be given to around 5,000 people in December.
Who is eligible for the Christmas bonus?
People who are getting the following payments will get the both bonus this year:
- Back to Education Allowance
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Blind Pension
- Carer's Allowance
- Carer's Benefit
- Community Employment
- Daily Expenses Allowance (long term)
- Deserted Wife's Allowance
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian's Payment
- Illness Benefit (long term)
- Invalidity Pension
- Job Initiative Scheme
- Jobseeker's Allowance (long term)
- 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)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
- Work Placement Experience Programme
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