The Christmas Bonus is paid to all recipients of long-term social welfare payments. The payment will be made this year, at an estimated cost of €201 million and will benefit some 1.3 million persons comprising 940,000 recipients and 400,000 dependents. The focus of the bonus has always been on persons who rely on the social welfare system for financial support over the long term. These include recipients of:
Blind Pension,
Carer's Allowance,
Carer's Benefit
Death Benefit by way of pension,
Disability Allowance,
Disablement Pension,
Farm Assist,
Guardian's Payment (Contributory and Non-Contributory),
Invalidity Pension,
Jobseeker's Allowance in respect of a continuous period of unemployment of at least 15 months,
One-parent Family Payment,
Pre-Retirement Allowance,
Deserted Wife's Benefit and Allowance,
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance,
State Pension (Contributory and Non-Contributory),
State Pension (Transition),
Widow's and Widower's (Contributory) Pension, and
Widow's and Widower's (Non-Contributory) Pension.
The bonus is also payable to recipients of certain income support payments administered by the Ministers for Health and Children, Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.