Minister of State and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen has welcomed the commencement of Christmas welfare bonus payments to thousands of social welfare recipients across the County.The Irish economy will get a EUR200m boost this week as an estimated 900,000 recipients and their 400,000 dependents receive the bonus to help with Christmas expenses. Minister Killeen explained: “This year, the Christmas Bonus is being paid at the same rate as weekly social welfare payments, which means social welfare recipients get a double payment. To get this double payment, recipients must be getting a weekly payment of at least EUR30 or more. Those in receipt of the Jobseeker's Allowance, meanwhile, received payment last week.”
The Minister said that this was the ninth year that the full 100% bonus was being paid and showed how the Government, despite the difficult economic situation, wants to continue to protect the most vulnerable across society. “Weekly social welfare payments eligible for the Christmas bonus include State pension, widow's and widower's, guardian's payment, invalidity pension, blind pension, deserted wife's benefit, carer's allowance and benefit, disability allowance, farm assist, long-term jobseeker's allowance and a number of other employment support payments. The Christmas bonus is also paid to certain participants of FAS, vocational training opportunities scheme, job initiative and community employment schemes and certain income maintenance schemes operated by the Department of Health and Children”: added Minister Killeen.
Meanwhile, Minister Killeen has urged people to take on board the advice of the Clare Money Advice and Budgeting Service, which offers tips to manage Christmas spending on their website. He continued, ‘Money Advisers encounter first hand the human face of serious debt situations from small loans to difficulties with utilities bills such as electricity, gas and telephone bills, credit card debt, mortgage or rent arrears or indeed debt around events such as Christmas. I am delighted to see that the service here in Clare continues to reach out to people in debt, or in danger of sliding into debt, and help them to regain control of their finances and budgets for the future.’
MABS Helpline (for the price of a local call) – 1890 283 438 or www.mabs.ie.
