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Social welfare Ireland: Date confirmed for Christmas double Child Benefit

The government announced two double Child Benefit payments of €280 per child as part of Budget 2025's cost of living package.

The first one will be paid within days, while the second will be paid the same week as the usual Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients.

Here's everything you need to know about the exact dates of payment and who is eligible.

The first one will be paid in November on the usual Child Benefit date, which is the first Tuesday of the month. This will be the 5th of November.

The second double payment will be applied to December Child Benefit, which is due to be paid on the 3rd of December.

This is also the week that social welfare recipients will receive a Christmas bonus.

All parents who are usually eligible for Child Benefit will receive the double payments and they are automatic - meaning no need to apply.

As for the social welfare Christmas bonus, over a million people are in line to receive the double rate of payment.

The following social welfare payments are eligible for the Christmas bonus payment:

Back to Education Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance - people coming from jobseeker's payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use time on jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify
Back to Work Family Dividend
Blind Pension
Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit (including half-rate Carer's Allowance)
Community Employment
Deserted Wife's Allowance and Deserted Wife's Benefit
Daily Expenses Allowance for 12 months or more
Disability Allowance
Disablement Benefit
Domiciliary Care Allowance
Farm Assist
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
Illness Benefit for 12 months or more
Invalidity Pension
Job Initiative Scheme
Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months (312 days or more)
Jobseeker's Transitional payment
Magdalene Commission Scheme
Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
One-Parent Family Payment
Partial Capacity Benefit
Rural Social Scheme
State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory)
Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months (364 days or more)
Tús
Widow, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
Work Placement Experience Programme (if your primary payment is a qualifying social welfare payment)