Indications this lunchtime that a 25% return of the social welfare Christmas bonus will return in today’s budget.
The bonus was scrapped 3 years ago, leaving the original 100% “double pay” at zero.
A 25% increase would mean recipients would receive circa €230 instead of €188 for Christmas week. They get paid gor two weeks as the social welfare office is closed over Christmas, they’d now get roughly €421 rather than €376 for the two weeks of and over Christmas.
It’s hot of the heels of a reported €5 top up of children’s allowance.
Cigarettes are going up a further 20c with alcohol unchanged.