Christmas 2018 Social Welfare and Pensions Payment Arrangements

This article is a year old. Read about the Christmas 2019 Payment Arrangements here



Welfare and Pensions Payment Arrangements  for Christmas 2018 – including Child Benefit.


 All of the Department of Social Protection’s offices will be closed on Tuesday 25th December, Wednesday 26th December 2018 and Tuesday 1st January 2019.

All the Banks in Ireland will close on Monday 24th December 2018 and will not re-open until  Friday 28th December 2018 .
Post Offices will close at 1pm on Dec 24th and will not reopen until Friday 28th December.
Post Offices and Banks will also be closed on 1st January 2019
There will be no mail delivery or collection on December 25th ,26th or 27th 2018.


Social Welfare Payment Arrangements for Christmas 2018

    • 1. Payments for People who are paid weekly and collect their payments at Post Offices.

      • All people who are paid weekly and collect their payments at Post Offices or are paid by cheque – will receive their normal payment in the week commencing December 17th –  plus an advance/”double” payment for the following week.
      • There will be no “regular” weekly payments during the week beginning Monday 24th December 2018 .
      • Any weekly payments due for collection on 31st Dec will be available on 31st Dec. (No change)
      • Any weekly payments due for collection on Tuesday 1st January 2019 will be available for collection on Monday 31st December 2018.

  • 2. Benefits Paid Monthly for Collection at Post Office

    • Payments due for collection on 25th or 26th  December will be available on 21st December
    • Payments due for collection on 27th Dec will be available on 24th Dec
    • Payments due on 28th and 31st Dec will be available on 28th Dec.
    • Payments due 1st Jan 2019 will be available on 31st Dec
    • Child Benefit payments due for collection on Tuesday 1 January 2019 may be collected on 31st December 2018.

  • 3 . Payments for People who get Weekly Payments Direct to Bank Accounts.
    • During the week commencing 17th Dec 2018  – all people who are paid weekly into bank accounts – will receive their normal payment plus an advance payment for the following week.  Payments will be made on the usual day. (See item 6 below for info about casual jobseekers)
    • There will be no weekly payments in the week commencing 24th Dec.
    • The following exceptions apply...
      • Maternity Benefit , Paternity Benefit and Health & Safety Benefit will all get their advance payment on Friday 21st December.
      • See item (6) below for information about casual Jobseeker claimants.
    •  Any  Weekly Payments due in accounts  on Mon 31st Dec will instead be in bank accounts on Fri 28th Dec
    • All Weekly payments due on in accounts on Tuesday 1st January 2019 will be credited to accounts on Mon  31st December 2018.
    • Normal payment arrangements  will resume from Wed 2nd January 2019.

4. People who get Monthly Payments into Banks :

  • Monthly  Payments due in accounts on 25th or 26th  December will be there on 21st December
  • Monthly Payments due in accounts on 27th Dec will be there on 24th Dec.
  • Monthly Payments due in accounts on 28th and 31st Dec will be there on 28th Dec.
  • Monthly Payments due  in accounts on 1st Jan 2019 will be there on 31st Dec (Includes Child Benefit)

5. Child Benefit will be in bank accounts by 31st Dec

6. Casual Jobseekers

If you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit on a casual basis, you will need to return your dockets for the signing weeks ending 10/11 December, 18/19 December, and 25/26 December to your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office on or before 10 December 2018.

Where dockets are provided by this date, two payments covering the signing weeks ending 18 and 25 December or 19 and 26 December will be paid into accounts on Friday, 21 December.

Normal payment arrangements for casual jobseekers will resume from Tuesday, 8th January 2019.

Fuel Allowance – no changes to payment arrangements.  If you have opted for 2 lump sums  – the second lump sum is expected to be €292.50 and will be paid in the second week of January 2019.


Note: All these dates have been  confirmed by the Department .


 Information about the Christmas Bonus 2018

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