Eight lump sum payments will be rolled out shortly.
Following the unveiling of the ‘two-for-one’ Budget last month, we now know precisely when the announced cost of living lump sum payments will be delivered to the public.
Eight individual lump sum payments are set to be paid out in order to assist with the country’s current economic emergency, at an estimated cost of €1.2 billion – the largest social protection budget in the history of the State.
As announced by Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath, the payments, and their respective dates, break down as follows:
- An Autumn Double Payment on the week commencing 17 October, benefitting 1.4 million people.
- Double Child Benefit payment on 1 November. It is anticipated this will support 639,000 families in respect of 1.2 million children.
- €500 Disability Support Grant paid on the week commencing 14 November to people with disabilities.
- €400 Fuel Allowance Lump Sum Payment paid on the week commencing 14 November to 370,000 households.
- €500 Lump Sum Working Family Payment on the week commencing 14 November, paid to 44,000 households.
- €200 Lump Sum Payment to the 234,000 people in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance on the week commencing 14 November.
- €500 Carer’s Support Grant provided to the country’s carers during the week commencing 21 November.
- Christmas Bonus Double Payment will be paid on the week commencing 5 December.
“I know many people are feeling under pressure at the moment,” said Minister Humphreys on Tuesday morning. “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 eight 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 today 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 Humphreys has also secured an 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 of 2023.
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