Christmas Bonus to be paid in week ahead to pensioners and benefit recipients
- Published on: 27 November 2016
- Last updated on: 21 October 2019
The Christmas Bonus will be paid to 1.2 million social welfare recipients in the week ahead with payments totalling €221 million being made to pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents, long-term unemployed and many other recipients.
Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar welcomed the payment of a Bonus of 85% this year which will benefit 590,000 pensioners and 620,000 other welfare recipients. The majority of customers will receive the bonus during the coming week (ending 2 December) resulting in an injection into the economy, in particular into the retail sector, of €221 million.
Minister Varadkar said:
“I’m very pleased that the Christmas Bonus is being paid again this year. It’s an important payment in the run-up to the festive season, and I’m especially pleased that we have been able to pay it at a rate of 85% of the benefit. This is the highest level of payment since the bonus was abolished by the previous government."
“The most important impact of the Christmas Bonus is for the recipients. But it also represents a significant boost for local economies with an additional €221 million being made available.”
Examples (maximum rates)
- pensioner couple both in receipt of the non-contributory State Pension will receive a bonus payment of €337.40
- single person on Disability Allowance will receive a bonus payment of €159.80
- a person in receipt of a Carer’s Allowance with two dependent children will get a bonus of €224.10
- a long-term jobseeker with a dependent partner and two dependent children will receive a bonus of €316.50
ENDS
Notes to the Editor:
Appendix 1 – List of schemes for which the Christmas Bonus will be paid and number of recipients
Appendix 2 – Examples of Christmas Bonus payment
Appendix 1
Recipient numbers by Scheme
| Scheme | 2016 Numbers |
| State Pension Non-Contributory | 94,450 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance* | 183,850 |
| One Parent Family Payment | 40,860 |
| Widow(er)s' Pension (non-con) | 1,510 |
| Deserted Wife's Allowance | 150 |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance* | 3,375 |
| Direct Provision Allowance* | 1,170 |
| Farm Assist | 7,885 |
| Pre-Retirement Allowance | 510 |
| Community Employment | 22,900 |
| Rural Social Scheme | 2,575 |
| Tús | 7,900 |
| Job Initiative | 810 |
| Back to Work Allowance | 11,500 |
| JobBridge* | 1,320 |
| Back to Education Allowance* | 11,820 |
| Gateway | 850 |
| Back to Work Family Dividend | 11,600 |
| Disability Allowance | 125,190 |
| Blind Pension | 1,270 |
| Carer's Allowance | 68,420 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance | 31,890 |
| Guardian's Payment (non-con) | 475 |
| Magdalen Commission Scheme | 310 |
| Subtotal Assistance | 632,590 |
| State Pension (Contributory) | 370,780 |
| Widow(er)s' Surviving Civil Partners Pension (Con) | 122,030 |
| Occupational Injuries Death Benefit | 640 |
| Deserted Wife's Benefit | 6,520 |
| Partial Capacity Benefit | 1,820 |
| Invalidity Pension | 55,630 |
| Disablement Benefit | 17,495 |
| Carer's Benefit | 2,480 |
| Guardian's Payment (Contributory) | 900 |
| Subtotal Insurance | 578,295 |
| Total Assistance and Insurance | 1,210,885 |
- 15 months duration on eligible social welfare payment or scheme required for jobseekers to be eligible for Bonus.
Appendix 2
| Payment and Family Type | Rate of Payment | Christmas Bonus |
| 85% | ||
| Pensioners | ||
| State Pension (Con) Personal Rate - Single | €233.30 | €198.30 |
| SPC Couple - Personal Rate with a Qualified Adult aged 66 or over | €442.30 | €376.00 |
| SPC Couple - Personal Rate with a Qualified Adult aged under 66 | €388.80 | €330.50 |
| State Pension (Non-Con) Personal Rate - Single | €222.00 | €188.70 |
| State Pension (Non-Con) Personal Rate - Couple (Both entitled in their own right to the SPNC) | €444.00 | €377.40 |
| SPNC Couple - Personal Rate with a Qualified Adult aged under 66 | €368.70 | €313.40 |
| Pensioner Couple - One in receipt of SPC and the other in receipt of SPNC | €455.30 | €387.00 |
| WSCPCP Personal Rate - aged under 66 | €193.50 | €164.50 |
| WSCPCP Personal Rate (under 66) with 1 child | €223.30 | €189.80 |
| WSCPCP Personal Rate (under 66) with 2 children | €253.10 | €215.10 |
| WSCPCP Personal Rate (under 66) with 4 children | €342.50 | €291.10 |
| Jobseekers | ||
| Jobseeker's Allowance Personal Rate - Single | €188.00 | €159.80 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance Couple - Personal Rate and Qualified Adult Rate | €312.80 | €265.90 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance Couple - Personal Rate and Qualified Adult Rate with 1 child | €342.60 | €291.20 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance Couple - Personal Rate and Qualified Adult Rate with 2 children | €372.40 | €316.50 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance Couple - Personal Rate and Qualified Adult Rate with 4 children | €432.00 | €367.20 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | ||
| One Parent Family Payment Personal Rate with 1 child | €217.80 | €185.10 |
| One Parent Family Payment Personal Rate with 2 children | €247.60 | €210.50 |
| One Parent Family Payment Personal Rate with 4 children | €307.20 | €261.10 |
| Carers | ||
| Carer's Allowance Personal Rate - Aged Under 66 | €204.00 | €173.40 |
| Carer's Allowance Personal Rate - Aged Under 66 with 1 child | €233.80 | €198.70 |
| Carer's Allowance Personal Rate - Aged Under 66 with 2 children | €263.60 | €224.10 |
| Carer's Allowance Personal Rate - Aged Under 66 with 4 children | €323.20 | €274.70 |