When will €2.2bn cost-of-living supports kick-in?

Some €2.2 billion in cost-of-living support for households will begin from next month, with a double weekly welfare payment for up to 1.5 million people.

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said pensioners, carers, people on disability payments and jobseekers will all benefit from the measure, which will cost €316 million.

This will be in addition to the usual Christmas Bonus of a double week of payments for social welfare recipients.

In November, all households are to get the first of three €200 electricity credits to help cut the cost of soaring energy bills.

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Another credit will kick in next January with the third one to come in March.

In total, the €600 in electricity credits will cost the exchequer €1.2 billion.

Around 370,000 people at risk of fuel poverty will also get a €400 Fuel Allowance lump sum in November.

The same month, there will be a once-off payment of €500 to those in receipt of the Carer’s Support Grant and to people on Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension that will benefit around 350,000 people.

Also in November there will be a €200 Living Alone Allowance lump sum for around 230,000 people and a €500 Working Family Payment lump sum for around 47,000 recipients.

Approximately 640,000 families will get a double payment of Child Benefit in November amounting to an extra €140 per child.

A once-off reduction in the third level student contribution fee by €1,000 is to happen at some point before the end of the year.

There will also be a double payment of student grants and a once-off payment of €500 for PhD researchers during the final three months of 2022.

An €8 million Student Assistance Fund will also be in place in the fourth quarter of 2022 with recipients to be determined by the Higher Education Institutions.