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If you’re on the dole you’ll be getting a 50% increase this Christmas

Published 12:54 14 Sept 2015 BST

Updated 13:00 14 Sept 2015 BST

Colm Boohig
If you’re on the dole you’ll be getting a 50% increase this Christmas

Homenews

Good news for those on social welfare this Christmas.

The Tánaiste Joan Burton has announced today that the one-off Christmas bonus for those on social welfare will be reintroduced this year. The bonus payment was abandoned by the previous government in 2009 - during the height of the recession. However, with job announcements on the rise and unemployment figures starting to fall, the government have decided to act. Writing in The Irish Independent, Burton said: "In money terms, a 50% bonus would mean an extra €115 at Christmas for a person on the State contributory pension, and almost €220 extra for a pensioner couple. It would mean an extra €102 for a carer, and more if that carer has children." Burton also touched on the possibility of phasing out the Universal Social Charge (USC) in the next budget, labelling the plan as “Fianna Fáil’s dreaded USC”.

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If you're on the dole you'll be getting a 50% increase this Christmas