Christmas Bonus payments of social welfare

Introduction

A special Christmas Bonus is paid to people getting certain social welfare payments. The amount paid as a Christmas Bonus can change from one year to another. To qualify you must be getting a long-term social welfare payment (see 'Rules' below). 

Jobseeker’s Benefit and Illness Benefit are not considered long-term payments so if you are getting either payment, you don't qualify for the Bonus.  

If you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, immediately after completing your full claim of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Illness Benefit, you will qualify for the Christmas Bonus.

In the Supplementary Budget April 2009, it was announced that the Christmas Bonus would not be paid in 2009.

Rules

The Christmas Bonus is paid to people getting a long-term social welfare payment.

The Christmas Bonus is also paid to certain participants on FÁS, Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Job Initiative, Rural Social Scheme and Community Employment (CE) schemes.

You will get a Christmas Bonus if you are getting one of the following social welfare payments:

• Back to Work Allowance 
• Back to Education Allowance
• Blind Pension
• Carer's Allowance
• Half-rate Carer's Allowance 
• Carer’s Benefit
• Deserted Wife's Benefit
• Deserted Wife’s Allowance
• Prisoner's Wife's Allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Guardian’s payments - formerly called Orphan’s Pension or Allowance
• Invalidity Pension
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (long-term, i.e. 15 months) - formerly called Unemployment Assistance
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Pre-Retirement Allowance
• Widow's/Widower's (Contributory) Pension
• Widow's/Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Contributory) - formerly called Old Age (Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Non-Contributory) - formerly called Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Transition) - formerly called Retirement Pension
• Disablement Pension
• Death Benefit by way of pension.

Rates

In 2008 the Christmas Bonus is be paid at the same rate as your weekly social welfare payment, which means you get a double payment that week. To get this double payment, you must be getting a weekly payment of at least €30 or more.

The Christmas Bonus wasl not paid in 2009.

How to apply

You do not apply for the Christmas Bonus.  If you qualify for the Christmas Bonus, it will be automatically paid to you in early December. However, it was announced in the Supplementary Budget April 2009 that the Christmas Bonus would not be paid in 2009.