ENERGY credits will be paid out to every household in the country on November 1 with Budget 2025’s social welfare lump sums hitting accounts on dates ranging between October and December, the Irish Sun can reveal.
A series of lump sums, double payments and energy credits were agreed as part of a €2.2 billion cost of living package in Budget 2025 to help people through the winter.
The size of the measures saw Budget 2025 labelled a pre-election giveaway aimed at winning votes – a charge that Government leaders deny.
However, the dates of the payouts are bound to spark more speculation about the timing of the upcoming general election as TDs believe the Taoiseach is going to call a November election.
A range of budget related motions are set to go before Cabinet today including details of the Finance Bill and measures to enact welfare payouts.
Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan will bring a motion to Cabinet which reveals the pay out details for the two €125 energy credits.
The first of these energy credits will hit people’s accounts on November 1 with the second credit paid out on January 1.
The Minister will tell colleagues that the justification for paying out two separate credits is to benefit households over two separate billing cycles.
These credits will automatically be paid into people’s energy accounts with their providers with no action required from the bill payer.
Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys will also brief Cabinet on the payout dates for the social welfare lump sums that were agreed in last week’s budget.
The first of these will be a double payment on the week commencing October 28, for all core welfare recipients including pensioners, carers and jobseekers.
On the week commencing November 4, the first of two double child welfare payments will be issued.
Three other cost of living lump sums will then be paid out this week as well including €400 for people on the working family payment, €400 disability support grant and €300 for people on the fuel allowance.
On the week commencing November 11, a €400 lump sum will be paid out to carers along with a €200 payment for people on the living alone allowance.
The €100 lump sum for people who qualify for the Child Support Grant (formerly known as the qualified child payment) will be paid out on November 25.
On the first week of December, the second double child benefit payment will hit accounts along with the traditional Christmas bonus week for all welfare recipients.
BUDGET 2025 MEASURES – WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU?
ONE-OFF PAYMENTS:
- €250 electricity credits – 2 x €125 with one paid in 2024 and one in 2025
- Double week for all long-term weekly social welfare recipients in October
- €300 Fuel Allowance lump sum in November
- €200 Living Alone Allowance lump sum this winter
- Double month of Child Benefit in November AND December
- €400 Working Family Payment lump sum this winter
- €100 Qualified Child Increment lump sum this winter
- Social welfare Christmas bonus in first week of December
- €400 lump sum to selected welfare categories this winter
- Double payment of Foster Care Allowance in December
TAX MEASURES:
- €125 Increase in the Main Tax Credits
- €2,000 Increase in the Standard Rate Cut-off Point
- €150 Increase in the Home Carer Tax Credit
- €150 Increase in the Single Child Carer Credit
- €300 Increase in the Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
- €300 Increase in the Blind person Credit
- Reduction in the four per cent USC rate to three per cent
- Increase in the Rent Tax Credit from €750 to €1,000
- Increase in the Excise Duty and VAT on a pack of cigarettes by €1 – bringing price to €18.05
- VAT on Heat Pumps decreased to nine per cent
- Sea-going Naval Personnel Tax credit extension
