This week, thousands of Galway families are set to receive a much-needed boost as double social welfare payments and an increased child benefit are issued.
Approximately 676,000 families across Ireland - encompassing over 1.27 million children - will be receiving a double Child Benefit payment today (Tuesday 3 December). This will be automatically issued to parents with children who are still in full-time education or have a disability up until their 18th birthday.
The double payment means families will receive €280 per child.
A Newborn Baby Grant of €280, recently announced in Budget 2025, will also be paid for children who were born on or after 1 December when Child Benefit is next issued in January.
Meanwhile, the Christmas Bonus - a once off double social welfare payment - will also be paid out this week to people on a wide range of schemes.
These include:
Back to Education Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting this allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but they may be able to use their time on the jobseeker’s payment to help them qualify. Back to Work Enterprise Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but they may be able to use their time on the jobseeker’s payment to help them qualify. Back to Work Family Dividend Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds Blind Pension Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit (including half-rate Carer's Allowance) Community Employment Deserted Wife's Allowance and Deserted Wife's Benefit Daily Expenses Allowance for 12 months or more Disability Allowance Disablement Benefit Domiciliary Care Allowance Farm Assist Guardian's Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory) Illness Benefit for 12 months or more Invalidity Pension Job Initiative Scheme Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months (312 days or more) Jobseeker's Transitional payment Magdalene Commission Scheme Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme) One-Parent Family Payment Partial Capacity Benefit Rural Social Scheme State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months (364 days or more) Tús Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory) Work Placement Experience Programme (if your primary payment is a qualifying social welfare payment)People will receive the Christmas Bonus in addition to and on the same day that they normally receive their primary payment.
Speaking today, Minister Heather Humphreys said: "This week, we are rolling out more lump sum payments that I secured as part of Budget 2025.
“Throughout the week some 1.4 million people will receive the Christmas Bonus payment. This will support people up and down the country including pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and working families.
“In addition to the Christmas Bonus, on Tuesday we will have the second of our double Child Benefit payments that will support over 1.27 million children across the State. This means that families will receive payments of €280 per child tomorrow.
“These payments mean people will have extra money in their pockets in the run up to Christmas, which will ease the pressure that many households are facing.”
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