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Social welfare recipients are in line for a double payment this week as Christmas approaches.
The Department of Social Protection announced revised payment schedules earlier this month to accommodate the festive period, during which post offices and banks will be shut.
With Christmas and New Year’s falling next week, post offices and banks will be closed for several days throughout the festive season.
Because of the closures during Christmas week, many social welfare recipients will receive their payments early for those days that fall within the holiday period.
Typically, social welfare claimants are issued a double payment in the week preceding Christmas to cover the period when post offices and banks are not operating, reports RSVP Live.
There will be a further adjustment before January 1st, as post offices and banks will also be closed on New Year’s Day.
In a statement published on Gov.ie, the Department of Social Protection explained: “If you receive a weekly social welfare payment, you will get your payment as usual during the week commencing Monday 15 December, and an advanced payment for the following week. This applies to payments made at post offices, by cheque or directly into your financial institution account.”
If you are on a jobseeker’s casual or part-time payment, you need to provide dockets in advance, as advised, to ensure your payment continues over the Christmas period. If you are getting income support from the Department of Social Protection you should let us know of your absence in advance of travel, you can do this by visiting your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office.
They have also shared the details of the opening hours and contact details for Intreo Centres, PPSN Centres and PSC Centres over the festive period.
Christmas opening hours for Intreo Centres, PPSN Centres and PSC Centres are as follows:
You can contact them on the numbers below from 10am-4pm every day except for Thursday 25 December, Friday 26 December and Thursday 1 January. Normal phoneline hours will resume on Friday, 2 January.
By phone at: 0818 405 060 or 0818 607 080 (for Community Welfare Services). By e-mail at: info@welfare. ie.
Where a walk-in Public Service Card Service is operational, this service will be available until 12:00 p. m.on 24 December. Walk-in availability may be limited during the rest of the Christmas period.
The most convenient and quickest way to apply for income supports is online at www.MyWelfare.ie.
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