Thousands more to qualify for Christmas bonus payment under proposal

Thousands of people will be qualified for a Christmas bonus social welfare payment under a memo introduced to Cabinet today.

In accordance with a proposal put forth by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, those who have been receiving illness benefits for 12 months or longer will receive a double payment this Christmas.

The Christmas payment extension that is being proposed will help an estimated 17,500 people.

The standard rate of illness benefit is €208 for those making more than €300 per week in gross income, so the benefit during Christmas bonus week will be worth €416.

The Minister anticipates her proposal will be approved by her ministerial colleagues at this morning’s Cabinet meeting, a source close to her told the Irish Mirror last night.

The Christmas Bonus, which represents a doubling of weekly payments, is due to be paid in early December. It will benefit hundreds of thousands of pensioners, carers and people with disabilities and is the eighth lump sum payment made to support households with the cost of living.

Minister Humphreys is expected to tell Cabinet that while most people remain on Illness Benefit for a short period of time, there are currently around 17,500 people who are in receipt of the support for 12 months or more. Cabinet is also set to discuss a €5,000 increase of the social housing eligibility threshold for local authorities.

The proposal, which is being brought forward by Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, will come into effect from the start of 2023.

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