More than 1.3 million people on social welfare will be paid the Christmas Bonus next week.

The payment will be made to pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and widows.

For the first time, it will also be paid to people on long-term illness benefit.

Christmas Bonus payments. Image: Dept Social Protection.

The Minister for Social Protection Heather Hum[phreys said the payment is about “putting more money back into people’s pockets”.

“I’m absolutely delighted to announce that the Christmas Bonus will be paid next week,” she said.

“It’s about supporting people with the cost of living; it’s about putting more money back into people’s pockets because we all know Christmas is an expensive time of year.

“So, this double payment is ging to help in terms of buying presents, maybe, for loved ones or just paying that bill that might have been outstanding for a while.”

The bonus payment is costing the Exchequer over €300m and Minister Humphrey’s said it is the eighth lump sum payment that has been made to households to help with the cost-of-living.

It will take the cost of the lump sum payments to €1.2 billion.