The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, have announced the payment dates for the €1.2 billion cost of living payments introduced as part of last month’s Budget.

The Social Protection budget – the largest in the history of the State – will assist pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and families with the cost of living through a mix of lump sum supports and increases to weekly payments.

The lump sum payments announced as part of the Budget include:

• A doubling of Child Benefit on 1 November, which will support 639,000 families in respect of 1.2 million children.
• An Autumn double payment next week, benefitting 1.4 million people.
• A €500 Disability Support Grant will be paid next month to people with disabilities.
• Also secured as part of the Budget was a €400 Fuel Allowance lump sum payment. This will be paid on the week commencing 14 November to 370,000 households.
• During the same week, a €500 lump sum Working Family Payment will be paid to 44,000 households.
• There will also be a €200 lump sum payment to the 234,000 people in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance.
• A €500 Carer’s Support Grant will be provided to the country’s carers during the week commencing 21 November.
• A Christmas Bonus double payment will be paid on the week commencing 5 December.

Announcing the details, Minister Humphreys and Minister McGrath said the lump sum payments are designed to assist families and individuals across the State with the cost of living.

Minister Humphreys said, “I know many people are feeling under pressure at the moment. The cost of the weekly shop has gone up and utility bills are rising. Government wants to help and that is why we are bringing forward this unprecedented package of 8 lump sum payments which will be issued to over 1.5 million households between now and Christmas. These payments totalling over €1.2 billion will support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and families over the coming months.”

“The payment schedule I am announcing is designed to give people certainty and some peace of mind so they know exactly when these additional payments will be made to them. Budget 2023 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 the largest increases in weekly rates for decades is designed to help our citizens through the current cost of living challenges we are facing.”

Minister McGrath stated, “Budget 2023 included a very comprehensive package of measures to be implemented over the rest of 2022 and in to the early part of next year to help households, businesses and civic society cope with the increased cost of living. One of the principles underlying the framing of the Budget was the need to include measures that could be implemented quickly and would make a significant difference to families and households with their outgoings.”

“We have a well-developed and effective social protection system in Ireland and we are using that system now to get money into people’s pockets in the weeks ahead. I am pleased that we are today able to confirm the payment details. In addition to the double welfare week, we know that the special cost of living Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance and Child Benefit payments are a very effective means of targeting help at those most in need. I am also very pleased that we are providing significant additional payments for working families, carers and people living with a disability.”

The payment dates for each of the Lump Sum Supports are outlined below:

In addition, Minister Humphreys and McGrath confirmed that the annual Christmas Bonus double payment will be paid the week commencing 5 December.

In addition to the series of lump sum payments, Minister Humphreys also secured a major expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme – which will see up to 81,000 new households supported with their fuel cost for the first time – and across-the-board welfare increases of €12 per week. These measures will take effect in January 2023.