For the past three years the Christmas bonus amount has been set at 100% of the recipient's normal weekly payment. In 2000 and 2001, the minimum amount payable was £20, equivalent to €25.40, and in 2002 the minimum payment was increased to €30.
The bonus is intended for long-term welfare payment recipients, including recipients of retirement, old age contributory and non-contributory, widow's, widower's and invalidity pensions, one parent family payment, carer's allowance, disability allowance, long-term unemployment assistance, farm assist and employment support payments. Recipients are only entitled to one such bonus.
In addition to recipients of long-term social welfare payments, the bonus is also paid to persons participating in FÁS, VTOS, Job Initiative and community employment schemes, and to recipients of certain health board payments such as domiciliary care allowance, blind welfare allowance and mobility allowance.
In general a person cannot receive more than one payment and the question of double payment of bonus would only arise in limited circumstances where a person is in receipt of a social welfare payment and payment also under an employment support scheme.
The total cost of the Christmas bonus in 2002 was an estimated €103.3 million. It benefited some 792,000 recipients and an estimated 413,000 dependants.
Expenditure on the bonus payment to recipients of non-social welfare employment and income supports as outlined above, is provided for in the Votes of the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science, and Health and Children.