Just over a million social welfare recipients will receive an extra five euro on top of their payments from this week onwards.
The increase which was announced in this year’s Budget last October will be fully introduced to all recipients by St Patrick’s day.
The rollout of bonuses will start this week with pensioners getting an extra €5 every week. Meanwhile recipients, of jobseekers, carers, widows, lone parents and disability allowance will also receive the bonus by next Friday.
It is expected that in total more than 1.3 million people will benefit from the new rates which were confirmed by the Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar before Christmas.