The payment is expected to benefit around 1.5 million long-term welfare recipients
08:47, 16 Nov 2025
Euro notes in purse(Image: Getty Images)
With Christmas now less than six weeks away, more than a million people nationwide will soon receive the traditional social welfare bonus – but not everyone who receives a payment qualifies for the cash boost. The Christmas bonus is a one-off double payment for individuals on long-term social welfare, worth 100% of their weekly scheme amount.
For those who qualify, there’s no need to apply for the bonus as all eligible recipients will receive it automatically. The payment was confirmed in Budget 2026, with more than 1.5 million people across the State set to benefit.
While the Department of Social Protection has not yet announced the exact date, it has confirmed that the Christmas Bonus will be paid in December to those receiving a qualifying social welfare payment, typically alongside their regular social welfare payment.
A rule that trips people up each year is the requirement to be receiving certain payments for a specific duration, reports RSVP Live. According to the Department of Social Welfare website: “12 months duration on eligible social welfare payment or scheme is required in order to be eligible for Bonus.”
This applies to individuals receiving the Back to Education Allowance, Daily Expenses Allowance, Illness Benefit and Jobseeker’s Allowance. While the exact payment date for the Christmas Bonus hasn’t been confirmed yet, based on past years, it’s anticipated to be paid to recipients on Monday, 1 December.
Individuals who receive the following payments will get the Christmas Bonus.
- Back to Education Allowance
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Beneficiary of Temporary Protection Weekly Payment
- Blind Pension
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer’s Benefit
- Community Employment
- Daily Expenses Allowance
- Deserted Wife’s Allowance
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian’s Payment
- Illness Benefit
- Invalidity Pension
- Job Initiative Scheme
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
- Magdalen Commission Scheme
- Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Rural Social Scheme
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance (long-term)
- Tús (community work placement initiative)
- Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Work Placement Experience Programme
Some people may be eligible for a double Christmas Bonus without even realising it. Those receiving more than one social welfare payment will get a bonus for each one. For example, someone receiving the One-Parent Family Payment as well as the Domiciliary Care Allowance or a half-rate Carer’s Allowance will get a bonus on both payments. You can find out more here.
