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30 November 2014: Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D., today announced details of the Christmas Bonus payment that will be paid next week (the first week of December).  The Bonus will be paid to some 1.23 million social welfare customers this year, at a cost of some €65 million. 

The Tánaiste said she was particularly pleased to partially restore the payment this year: “The Christmas Bonus was abolished by the previous Government in 2009.  I am pleased to say that I am in a position to partially restore the Bonus this year. A bonus of 25% will be paid next week to all long-term welfare recipients including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents, and long-term jobseekers in recognition of the position of vulnerable households.  It will help these people to meet some of the additional costs around the Christmas season.”

This year the Christmas Bonus will be equivalent to 25% of the normal weekly social welfare payment, subject to a minimum payment of €20.  State Pension Contributory and Non-Contributory as well as Widow/er’s & Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension recipients will be paid the bonus on Friday, December 5^th (over 575,000 in total on these schemes).  Disability Allowance recipients (112,000) will be paid the bonus on Wednesday, December 3^rd while Invalidity pension recipients (53,500) and Carer’s Allowance recipients (58,000) will be paid on Thursday, December 4th.  In addition, over 36,000 participants on Community Employment, Rural Social Scheme, TÚS, Job Initiative and Gateway will also receive the Christmas Bonus on Thursday, December 4th.  Domiciliary Care Allowance recipients (who are paid monthly) will get their bonus on Tuesday, December 16^th.

The Tánaiste continued: “The reintroduction of the bonus on a partial basis, along with the other welfare measures announced in the Budget are real indicators of the economic recovery and the Government’s ambition to ensure it will be a recovery felt by all. This is the first Budget where we have had the scope to make real positive progress for welfare recipients. This is evidenced by the €65 million we are spending on the Bonus as well as €198 million of new welfare improvements which I announced in the Budget and which will come into effect next year.  We are using the economic dividend from the recovery to invest in sustainable growth, in families and communities and in vital public services.”

Minister of State Kevin Humphreys said: “After several years of tough Budgets we have been able to put money back in people’s pockets. This will help families with the costs of Christmas, and support real jobs in the local economy.  People have made huge sacrifices and we recognise that effort.

“Those out of work for over 15 months qualify for the Christmas Bonus and it is a recognition that they have lost jobs through no fault of their own. For the long term unemployed, the best gift we can give for Christmas is a job and the Government is focused on ensuring through Pathways to Work and the Action Plan for Jobs that we can provide the opportunities, training and supports jobseekers need.”

Examples of Christmas Bonus payment

-          A pensioner couple, both in receipt of State Pension Non-Contributory of €219 each per week will receive a Bonus of €109.50.

-          A pensioner living alone who is getting a State Pension (Contributory) of €238 per week will get a Bonus of €59.50. 

-          A person who is in receipt of a Carer’s Allowance of €204 per week will receive a Bonus of €51.00

-          A parent with two children who is in receipt of the One Parent Family of €247.60 per week will receive a Bonus of €61.90.

-          A jobseeker with a dependent partner and two dependent children in receipt of €372.40 Jobseeker’s Allowance per week will receive a Christmas Bonus of €93.10.

ENDS

Note for News Editor

Appendix 1 – List of Social Welfare schemes for which the Christmas Bonus will be paid

Appendix 2 -  Payments & Family type – Examples of the Christmas Bonus to be paid

Appendix 1

*In order to be eligible for the bonus, the person must be in receipt of this payment for 15 months.  In the case of BTEA and JobBridge, the person must have 15 months duration prior to the scheme, or would have reached 15 months had he or she not commenced the scheme.

Appendix 2