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Know Your Rights: The Social Welfare Christmas Bonus

Kerry ETB insert
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Citizens-New-Insert 1Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…

Question: I’m getting a social welfare payment. Will I get a Christmas Bonus?

Answer: The Christmas Bonus is paid to people getting a long-term social welfare payment. Long-term social welfare payments include the following:

• State Pensions and Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Pensions

• Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and guardian’s payments

• Jobseeker’s Transitional payment, One-Parent Family Payment, Farm Assist, Deserted Wife’s Benefit and Allowance, Community Employment, Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Gateway, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and Job Initiative

• Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), VTOS and Further Education and Training (FET) training allowance (people coming from jobseeker’s payments must have been on their payment and/or BTEA or VTOS or FET training allowance for 15 months)

• For Jobseeker’s Allowance or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance, you must be getting the payment for 15 months to get a Christmas Bonus.

In 2016 the Christmas Bonus will be 85% of your normal weekly payment (including the Living Alone Increase, the Island Allowance and the Over-80 Increase). Fuel Allowance is not included when calculating the Christmas Bonus. The minimum Christmas Bonus payment is €20.

For Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), which is paid monthly, the bonus is 85% of the weekly payment. The DCA portion of the bonus is calculated independently of other payments. So, for example, if you are getting DCA for one child, 85% of the weekly payment is €60.70.

Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.

•  Contact us in Tralee on Tel: 0761 07 7860 Killarney 0761 07 7820, Listowel 0761 07 7840 Kenmare 0761 07 7810, Killorglin 0761 07830 & Caherciveen 0761 07 7780. Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000