Social welfare Christmas dates confirmed including…

Social welfare Christmas dates confirmed including 'double payment' week

As the Christmas holidays draw closer, thousands of people are set to receive a welcome cash boost just in time to get celebrate the festive season.

However, social welfare recipients are also being warned that there will be some changes to the usual social welfare payment dates. This is due to post office and bank closures Christmas week, so people in receipt of benefits will have their usual payment dates impacted.

The Department of Social Protection is advising people to check when they are due to receive their payments over the festive season. Here's everything you need to know about date changes and when exactly you can collect your payments including the Christmas Double Payment.

Social Welfare Date Changes for Christmas

Changes to weekly payments:

Payment due: December 19, 20, 21 - No change
Payment due: December 22 - Paid out: December 21
Payment due: December 23 - Paid out: December 22
Payment due: January 2 - Paid out: December 30
Weekly payments will be paid on normal dates from January 3, 2023

Changes to monthly payments:

Payment due: December 22, no change
Payment due: December 22, Paid out: December 22
Payment due: 27 December, Paid out: December 22
Payment due: 28 December, Paid out: December 23
Payment due: 29 December, Paid out: December 24

When to collect your payments at Banks, Post Offices and Intreo centres

Banks will close as normal on Friday 23 December, and will not reopen until Thursday 29 December 2022. Post Offices are set to close at 1pm on Saturday 24 December, and will not reopen until Thursday 29th December 2022.

There will also be no mail delivery or collection from December 24 to December 28 2022. Meanwhile, Post Offices and Banks are also closed on Monday 2 January which is a Bank Holiday.

Christmas Double Payment

The Christmas 'double payment' is different to the Christmas Bonus, and it is the usual social welfare weekly payment and an advance payment for the following week, as it is then followed by a week with no payments.

Due to banks and Post Offices being closed over the Christmas, everyone who receives social welfare and state pensions will get a double payment before the holidays. According to the Department of Social Protection, here's when you will receive the double payment

December 19: All those who receive social welfare and state pensions that are paid weekly will receive their normal payments and an advance payment the week beginning Monday 19 December
December 26: The advance payment will be in place of the payment due in the week beginning Monday 26 December 2022 and there will be no regular weekly payments in that week.
Any payments due between 26 and 30 December will be made in the previous week along with your normal payment for that week.

Christmas Bonus

Most people have already received their Christmas Bonus on December 5. However, for those on Illness Benefit, the Christmas Bonus may be paid over two weeks between Tuesday, December 6, and Friday, December 23.

Jobseeker's Declarations for December

The Department of Social Protection has issued some important information for people in receipt of the Jobseeker's Allowance.

It states: "The change in social welfare payment dates will also affect part-time, casual or short-time workers over the Christmas and New Year period. In order to ensure you receive your payments on time this month, please follow the guidelines on MyWelfare.ie on how to submit your work patterns correctly."

Casual Jobseeker claimants are advised to return dockets for the week-ending 29/30 December to their local office by 16 December to ensure continuous payment over the Christmas period.

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