This article is a year old – You will find the most recent information here about the Social Welfare 2021 Christmas Bonus
When Will the Christmas Bonus 2020 be Paid ?
The Christmas bonus for weekly pensions and welfare benefits will be paid out between December 7th and December 11th 2020. It will be paid along with your normal weekly payment on the usual payment day.
If you are getting Domiciliary Care Allowance, the bonus will be paid with your monthly payment on 15 December 2020.
Is The Bonus Paid on the PUP ?
This year, the Christmas Bonus will be paid to many people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). There are some restrictions though.
PUP Claimants will qualify If :-
- You were entitled to the PUP payment for a total of 17 weeks since the 13 March . (Does not have to be continuous.)
- AND
- You were getting the PUP payment for at least one day from the 27th November to 3rd December. (The payment on the 8th Dec covers those dates.)
This means you may still qualify for the Christmas Bonus if you have had a break in your payment because you, for example, temporarily returned to work.
See the latest information on PUP Arrears Payments
Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance Bonus
If you are getting a Jobseeker’s payment you are entitled to the Christmas bonus if:
- your claim has been in payment for 104 days or more, or have been in receipt of a combination of qualifying payments for 104 days.
- AND
- you are receiving the payment for the week 2 – 8 December for Jobseekers Allowance or 3 – 9 December for Jobseeker’s Benefit.
Casual Jobseeker claimants :
For casual job seekers the total payment days must exceed 103 to qualify for the bonus.
For example – someone working 3 days and claiming jobseekers for 2 days a week .
They would need 104 days of previous payments (about 52 weeks) to get the bonus. If you get a bonus it should be paid a week after everyone else
How Much is the Christmas Bonus?
The 2020 Christmas Bonus will be 100% of your usual weekly pension or benefit payment.
THat means all eligible recipients will get a bonus amount equal to their normal weekly payment paid in addition to the normal weekly payment.
The minimum Christmas Bonus payment is €20 .
In 2017 the Christmas bonus was 85% of the normal weekly rate. In 2018, it was put back up to 100%. The cost of a paying this 100% Bonus is estimated to be €350
Christmas Double Payment Week
This Christmas Bonus should not be confused with the usual “double week” of weekly welfare and pension payments that is paid out just before Christmas. This double payment week happens because of the bank and post office closures. It is then followed by a week with no payments. The 2020 double week is now confirmed as the week beginning December 21st 2020 . Monthly payments are not affected.
More details on the Double Payment Week Here
Who Will Get The Christmas Bonus in 2020?
A List of all Pensions and Benefits that will be eligible for the 2020 Christmas Bonus .
- Back to Education Allowance in some cases
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Blind Pension
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer’s Benefit
- Community Employment Schemes
- COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment in some cases
- Daily Expenses Allowance
- Deserted Wife’s Benefit and Allowance
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance (paid on 15 December)
- Farm Assist
- Guardian’s payments (Contributory and Non- Contributory)
- Invalidity Pension
- Job Initiative
- Jobseeker’s Allowance ( long term)
- Jobseeker’s Allowance in some cases
- Jobseeker’s Benefit in some cases
- Jobseeker’s Transition Payment
- Magdalene Commission Scheme
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Part-time Job Incentive
- Rural Social Scheme
- State Pensions (Contributory and Non- Contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- TÚS
- Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Pensions (Contributory and Non- Contributory)
The Christmas bonus will only be paid to anyone who is getting one of the payments listed above.
FIS / Working Family Payment is not eligible, nor is Illness Benefit or Maternity Benefit .
Please do not ask us why – we don’t set the rules.
The Christmas Bonus is not due on the Fuel Allowance or Rent Allowance.
UK Christmas Bonus
The Christmas Bonus for pensioners in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK is just £10. This bonus is only payable to pensioners and people getting disability or
I was on jobseekers for 13 years then my payment chsnged to disability in march will i still be entitled to xmas bonus even lthough i only changed payments thank you
Yes you should get the bonus.
I was on cov19 in March for a few months own 2weeks reers am back working since June am I still in title to it
The arrears should be paid to people who are not currently on PUP – let us know if you get something next week. Thanks
I am on supplementary long term since November last year will I get bonus
Yes –
Is it single this week then xmas bonus then double payment for jobseekers
That’s correct.
Is the Christmas bonus being paid out from the 30 November to the 4 of December or has it change to 7 of December to the 11 of December it’s bit coufusely
The bonus will be paid in the week of Dec 7th to 11th
Thank you for letting me know
I’m have been getting the PUP for 5 months , I’m going back to work the 4th.of December, am I entitled for the xmas bonus??
Yes – but make sure you don’t close your PUP claim until the 4th.
I’m a casual worker so will I get the bonus the week after everyone else gets it. I’m on the dockets
People on Jobseekers get the bonus this year if they have been claiming for 104 or more.
So – if (for example) someone is working 3 days and claiming 2 days a week . – They would need 104 days of previous payment (about 52 weeks).
If you get a bonus it should be paid a week after everyone else.
Let us know what happens.
I was just wondering that after I get the Christmas bonus on the tenth will I get paid double again til after the new year or what way does it work thanks
Info about the double week here – https://www.moneyguideireland.com/social-welfare-christmas-payment-dates-2020.html
I have been on part time employment benefit of 104 a week for the last 5/6 weeks or so. I was on jobseekers continuosly since march before part time employment. Will I get a bonus, and if so how much?
Double my 104 a week or an extra full payment of 204?
The bonus is 100% of you current weekly payment. So it should be 104 on top of your normal 104.