The first bonus will be paid out later this month
Around 1.4 million people on the social welfare will be receiving their first of two bonus payments this month.
The October and Christmas bonuses were both agreed upon in the latest Budget and will come as a welcome relief to many as the winter season approaches.
The cash boost was announced by government officials and will consist of a double week of the usual social welfare payment, similar to what is given out in December.
It is understood that the payment will be given out the week of October 28th, to avoid any disruption caused by the Bank Holiday.
Therefore, anyone who was due to receive their payment on the Bank Holiday Monday will likely receive their sum early.
Like all payouts, there are a number of groups who will be excluded from the payment.
The same groups who all qualify for the Christmas bonus will receive the October payment and as with years before, those on the Fuel Allowance, the Working Family Payment and Maternity Benefit will be excluded from both.
The full list of the social welfare payments that are eligible for the October bonus payment is as follows:
- Back to Education Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you 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 you may be able to use time on jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- 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)
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