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Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
Q. I am in receipt of a weekly social welfare payment and I am wondering if I will get the Christmas Bonus?
A. In general the Christmas Bonus is an extra payment paid to people in receipt of an eligible long-term social welfare payment. In 2022, people getting the following payments will get a Christmas Bonus:
You can get a Christmas Bonus, if you are getting:
• Back to Education Allowance – people coming from jobseeker’s payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance – people coming from jobseeker’s payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
• Back to Work Family Dividend
• Benefit payment for 65 year olds
• Blind Pension
• Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit (including half-rate Carer’s Allowance)
• Community Employment
• Deserted Wife’s Allowance and Benefit
• Daily Expenses Allowance, formerly called Direct Provision Allowance for 12 months
• Disability Allowance
• Disablement Pension and Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension under the Occupational Injuries Scheme
• Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
• Invalidity Pension
• Jobseeker’s Allowance for 12 months (312 days)
• Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
• Magdalene Laundry Payment
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Partial Capacity Benefit
• Rural Social Scheme
• State Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months
• Tús
• VTOS Allowance for people coming from jobseeker’s payments. You must be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
• Widow, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
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Q. How much is the Christmas Bonus?
A. In 2022, the Christmas Bonus will be 100% of your normal weekly payment (including the Living Alone Increase, the Island Allowance and the Over-80 Increase).
The Christmas Bonus does not include Fuel Allowance. The minimum Christmas Bonus payment is €20.
If an Increase for a Qualified Adult is paid directly to your dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, the Christmas Bonus is also paid directly to them.
If you are getting two eligible social welfare payments (for example, a One-Parent Family Payment and the Domiciliary Care Allowance or a half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well as your primary payment) you get the Christmas Bonus for both payments.
For Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), which is paid monthly, the bonus is 100% of the weekly DCA rate. The DCA portion of the bonus is calculated independently of other payments. So, for example, if you are getting full-rate DCA for one child, 100% of the weekly rate is €71.20.
Q. When is the Christmas Bonus to be paid?
A. The Christmas bonus for weekly pensions and welfare benefits will be paid out between 5th December and 9th December 2022. It will be paid along with your normal weekly payment on the usual payment day.
If you are getting Domiciliary Care Allowance, the bonus will be paid with your monthly December 2022 payment.
• For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 07 7860, they will be happy to assist and make an appointment if necessary.
The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.
