Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys, has today announced the payment dates for the over €1.4 billion worth of social protection supports introduced as part of last week’s Budget.
A total of ten lump-sum payments totaling over €1.4 billion will be issued before Christmas to help with the cost of living as experienced by many people and families in Ireland.
There will be payments to support families, pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities. The impending double payment in October will benefit 1.4 million people.
There will be double payments of child benefit before Christmas. The €400 Disability Support Grant and €400 lump sum payment for Carers to be paid next month
The Social Protection budget – the largest in the history of the State – will assist families, pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities with the Cost of Living through a mix of lump sum payments, targeted supports and increases to weekly payments.
The Lump-Sum payments announced as part of the Budget include:
- A doubling of Child Benefit in both November and December, which will support 678,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children.
- An October Double Payment this month, benefitting some 1.4 million people.
- A €400 Disability Support Payment will be paid next month to people with disabilities.
- Also secured as part of the Budget was a €300 Fuel Allowance Lump Sum Payment. This will be paid on the week commencing 4th November to over 387,000 households.
- During the same week, a €400 lump sum Working Family Payment will be paid to 46,000 households.
- There will also be a €200 lump sum payment to the almost 254,000 people in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance in November.
- There will be a €100 child support payment – formerly known as ‘Qualified Child’ – on the week commencing 25th November.That will support 340,000 children.
- A €400 Carer’s Support Payment will be provided to the country’s carers during the week commencing 11th November.
- A Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid on the week commencing December 2nd.
Announcing the details today, Minister Humphreys said the lump sum payments are designed to assist families and individuals across the State with the Cost of Living.
Minister Humphreys said:
“I am pleased to announce today the payment schedule for 10 lump sum payments announced last week as part of Budget 2025.
“These payments totaling over €1.4 billion will support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and families over the coming months.
“Budget 2025 represents the largest social protection budget package in the history of the State.
“The blend of lump-sum payments to support people over the winter months together with in weekly rates and a range of targeted supports is designed to ease the financial pressure facing many households across the State.”
The payment dates for each of the Lump Sum Supports are outlined below:
| Budget 2025 Measure | Payment Date | Number of Recipients | |||
| October Cost of Living Double Payment | Week commencing 28th October 2024 | 1.4 million recipients | |||
| Double Child Benefit Payment | 5th November 2024 | 678,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children | |||
| €400 Cost of Living Payment to those in receipt of Working Family Payment | Week commencing 4th November 2024 | 46,000 families | |||
| Fuel Allowance Lump Sum of €300 | Week commencing 4th November 2024 | 387,000 households | |||
| €400 Lump Sum Payment to recipients of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension* | Week commencing 4th November 2024 | 213,000 recipients | |||
| €200 payment to people in receipt of Living Alone Allowance | Week commencing 11th November 2024 | 254,000 recipients | |||
| €400 Lump Sum Payment to recipients of the Carer’s Support Grant* (incl. Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care Allowance) | Week commencing 11th November 2024 | 145,000 carers | |||
| Once-off payment of €100 for each child in respect of whom a Child Support Payment (formerly Increase for a Qualified Child) is in payment | Week commencing 25th November 2024 | 340,000 children | |||
| Christmas Bonus Double Payment | Week commencing 2nd December 2024 | 1.4 million recipients | |||
| Double Child Benefit Payment | 3rd December 2024 | 678,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children |
