The largest social welfare package in the history of the State providing €2.6 billion to assist households.
The October cost of living bonus will be paid this year to more than 1.38 million people on primary weekly payments, including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents. The bonus will be paid in the week commencing 28 October 2024.
Those receiving the Beneficiary of Temporary Protection Weekly Payment will get the bonus on the 14 November 2024.
The October bonus will be paid on the same basis as the Christmas bonus in December. If you are getting a primary weekly payment, (these are all of the main payments from the Department of Social Protection), you will get a 100% increase in your weekly rate of payment.
The Living Alone Increase , the Increase for Living on a Specified Island and the Over-80 Increase are not primary weekly payments. These payments are increases to weekly payments for those that are eligible to get them. If you get these increases, the increase will be doubled along with your primary payment.
Following the Budget 2025 announcement there may be an increase in fraudulent texts or calls asking people to register for the lump sums and double payments. If you are entitled to a lump sum or double payment, these will be automatically paid and you do not need to apply for it. Read more on our alert on scam phone calls and scam text messages
The Christmas bonus will be paid to those getting a long-term social welfare payment in December 2024. This year, the Christmas bonus has been extended to those who have been getting Illness Benefit for 12 months or longer.
People who are getting the following payments will get the Christmas bonus.
Maximum weekly rate (from January 2025) |
Personal rate | Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) |
Child Support Payment* under 12 |
Child Support Payment* aged 12+ |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Pension (Contributory) |
||||
Personal rate Under 80 |
€289.30 | See IQA below | €50 | €62 |
Personal Rate Aged 80 and over |
€299.30 | See IQA below | €50 | €62 |
Increase for Qualified Adult Under 66 |
€192.70 | |||
Increase for Qualified Adult 66 and over |
€259.40 | |||
Widow’s/ Widower’s /Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension/ Deserted Wife’s Benefit |
||||
Under 66 | €249.50 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 66 and under 80 |
€289.30 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 80 and over |
€299.30 | €50 | €62 | |
Invalidity Pension | €249.50 | €178.30 | €50 | €62 |
Carer’s Benefit | €261 | €50 | €62 | |
Disablement Benefit | €275 | €50 | €62 | |
Jobseeker’s/ Illness/ Health and Safety / Injury Benefit |
€244 | €162 | €50 | €62 |
Maternity/ Paternity/ Adoptive/ Parent’s Benefit |
€289 | |||
Death Benefit | ||||
Under 66 | €274.50 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 66 and under 80 |
€293.70 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 80 and over |
€303.70 | €50 | €62 |
* Previously known as ‘Increase for Qualified Child’
Maximum weekly rate (from January 2025) |
Personal rate | Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) |
Child Support Payment* under 12 |
Child Support Payment* aged 12+ |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
||||
Aged 66 and under 80 |
€278.00 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 80 and over |
€288.00 | €50 | €62 | |
Increase for Qualified Adult Under 66 |
€183.60 | |||
Carer’s Allowance | ||||
Under 66 | €260.00 | €50 | €62 | |
Aged 66 and over | €298.00 | €50 | €62 | |
Disability Allowance/ Blind Pension |
€244 | €162 | €50 | €62 |
Widow’s/ Widower’s/ Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension |
€244 | |||
One-Parent Family Payment/ Deserted Wife’s Allowance |
€244 | €50 | €62 | |
Farm and Fish Assist | €244 | €162 | €50 | €62 |
Jobseeker’s Allowance | ||||
Under 25 | €153.70 | €153.7 | ||
Aged 25 and over | €244.00 | €162 | €50 | €62 |
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
||||
Under 25 living independently with State support |
242.00 | 162 | 50 | 62 |
Under 25 not living independently |
€153.70 | €153.7 | ||
Aged 25 and over | €242 | €162 | €50 | €62 |
* Previously known as ‘Increase for Qualified Child’
Child Benefit | 2025 Monthly Rate |
---|---|
For each child | €140 |
Twins | Paid at one and a half times the normal monthly rate for each child |
All other multiple births | Paid at double the normal monthly rate for each child |
Newborn Baby Grant | Bonus payment of €280 in addition to the first month of Child Benefit (€140) for children born on or after 1 December 2024 |
An increase of €12 per week from January 2025 for those participating in the Community Employment Programme, Rural Social Scheme and Tús and a €24 increase for the Work Placement Experience Programme.
Working Family Payment Thresholds |
2025 Weekly Income Limit |
---|---|
1 Child | €705 |
2 Children | €806 |
3 Children | €907 |
4 Children | €998 |
5 Children | €1124 |
6 Children | €1240 |
7 Children | €1376 |
8 Children or more | €1472 |
Other Social Welfare Payments |
2025 Rate | Frequency |
---|---|---|
Guardian’s Payment (Con/Non-Con) |
€227 | Weekly Rate |
Fuel Allowance |
€33 | Weekly Rate |
Living Alone Allowance |
€22 | Weekly Rate |
Island Allowance (specified offshore islands) |
€20 | Weekly Rate |
Domiciliary Care Allowance |
€360 | Monthly Rate |
Carer’s Support Grant |
€2000 | Annual Rate |
Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant |
€8000 | Once-off payment |
Michael is a pensioner in his seventies who lives alone. He receives the maximum State Pension Contributory (SPC), Michael currently receives a State Pension Contributory payment and the Living Alone Allowance, totalling €299.30 per week, plus the seasonal Fuel Allowance of €33 per week.
He will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
State Pension Contributory Christmas 2024 bonus | 1 | €299.3 |
Personal weekly rate increase | 52 x €12 | €624 |
Living Alone | Lump sum | €200 |
Fuel Allowance | Lump sum | €300 |
State Pension Contributory 2024 October bonus | 1 | €299.3 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €1423.30 plus Christmas 2024 bonus |
Patrick and Alex have three children aged 14, 12 and 8. They currently receive the Working Family Payment (WFP) as well as Child Benefit for their three children.
WFP is 60% of the difference between average weekly family income and the WFP threshold.
WFP weekly income limit will increase by €60 in 2025 regardless of family size.
They will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
Working Family Payment | €36 x 52 | €1872 |
Working Family Payment | Lump sum | €400 |
Double Child Benefit in November and December 2024 | 100% x 2 | €840 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €3112 |
Julia is a lone parent with two children aged four and six.
Julia currently receives the maximum One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) with increases for her children which total €324, plus the seasonal Fuel Allowance of €33 per week.
Julia will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
One-Parent Family Payment Christmas bonus 2024 | 1 | €324 |
Personal weekly rate increase | 52 x €12 | €624 |
Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) | 52 x €8 | €416 |
Child Support Payment | Lump sum of €100 for each child | €200 |
One-Parent Family Payment October 2024 bonus | 1 | €324 |
Fuel Allowance | Lump sum | €300 |
Double Child Benefit in November and December 2024 | 100% x 2 | €560 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €2,424 plus Christmas 2024 bonus |
Orla has two children, aged 13 and 8 and is a carer for one of her children.
Orla currently receives Carer’s Allowance with increases for her children which total €348 per week.
Her weekly Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) has increased by €8 for her older child and €4 for her younger child.
Orla will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
Carer’s Allowance Christmas 2024 bonus | 1 | €348 |
Personal weekly rate increase | 52 x €12 | €624 |
Child Support Payment (CSP) | 52 x €12 | €624 |
CSP | Lump sum of €100 for each child | €200 |
Carers Allowance + CSP October 2024 bonus | 1 | €348 |
Carer’s Support Grant | Rate increase plus lump sum | €550 |
Double Child Benefit in November and December 2024 | 100% x 2 | €560 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €2906 | |
plus Christmas 2024 bonus |
Lucas is 28 and lives alone. He has a disability.
Lucas currently receives Disability and Living Alone Allowances, which total €254. He also receives the seasonal Fuel Allowance of €33 per week.
Lucas will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
Disability Allowance Christmas 2024 bonus | 1 | €254 |
Personal weekly rate increase | 52 x €12 | €624 |
Living alone | Lump sum | €200 |
Fuel Allowance | Lump sum | €300 |
Disability Support | Lump sum | €400 |
2024 Disability Allowance October bonus | 1 | €254 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €1778 | |
plus Christmas 2024 bonus |
Robert and Anne are in their seventies. Robert receives the maximum State Pension Contributory (SPC) with an increase for Anne. They currently receive a weekly rate of €525.90 (€277.30 + €248.60) and a seasonal Fuel Allowance of €33 per week.
They will benefit from | Calculation | Value |
---|---|---|
State Pension Contributory Christmas 2024 bonus | 1 | €525.9 |
Personal weekly rate increase | 52 x €12 | €624 |
Increase for Qualified Adult weekly rate increase | 52 x €10.80 | €561.6 |
Fuel Allowance | Lump sum | €300 |
2024 State Pension Contributory October bonus | 1 | €525.9 |
Total post-budget 2025 increase | €2011.5 | |
plus Christmas 2024 bonus |