KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

CHRISTMAS BONUS

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 paymentsJobseeker’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.

Killarney - 0761 07 7820 Email: killarney@citinfo.ie; Tralee - 0761 07 7860 Email: tralee@citinfo. ie; Caherciveen - 0761 07 7780 Email: caherciveen@citinfo.ie; Kenmare - 0761 07 7810 Email: kenmare@citinfo.ie; Killorglin - 0761 07 7830 Email: killorglin@ citinfo.ie; Listowel - 0761 07 7840 Email: .listowel@citinfo.ie