Your Money

Q&A: When will people receive their budget payments?

Budget 2025: There are different timetables for different people, given the amount of tax cuts, welfare increases and once-off payments

Inheritance and gift tax
Budget 2025: The necessary legislation for some of the changes must be passed by the Oireachtas Illustration: Paul Scott
Conor Pope's picture
Conor Pope
Tue Oct 08 2024 - 09:45

Now that the dust has settled on bonanza budget, when am I getting my cash?

That’s a good question given that the word coming from Government Buildings was that we would all be hundreds, if not thousands, of euro better off as a result of Budget 2025. The short and not entirely helpful answer is: it depends.

Depends on what?

Given the amount of tax cuts, welfare increases and once-off payments, there’s a different timetable for different people. The Government also has to ensure the necessary legislation that gives effect to some of the changes is passed by the Oireachtas, a process that can normally take months but is likely to be much faster this year with an election looming.

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But do we have any dates yet?

We do. Pensioners, carers, jobseekers and people with disabilities will get a double payment on the week of October 28th while the Christmas double payment will be paid on the week of December 2nd.

And there are a couple of extra child benefit payments coming, right?

That’s right. The first double payment, amounting to €280 for qualifying parents is set to land on November 5th while the second payment worth the same amount will hit the accounts of those who qualify on December 3rd.

What about the energy credits?

There are going to be two of them worth €125, each automatically applied to domestic electricity bills with the first one set to be deducted from bills in early November and the second one coming off bills from early January although the exact timing will depend on when your own bills come through the letter box.

Are there any other payments coming?

Yes indeed. In the first week of November the €400 Working Family payment, the Disability Allowance, the Blind Pension and the Invalidity grant and the €300 lump sum for households who get the fuel allowance will land with a €400 lump payment issued to carers and a €200 Living Alone allowance paid to widows, widowers and other single-person households following a week later. People getting Child Support Payments, formerly the Qualified Child payment, will receive a payment of €100 per child in the week starting November 25th.

What about the tax changes?

The widening of the lower tax band by €2,000 to €44,000 will not kick in until January although that is only 12 weeks away. Similarly the changes to the USC and the increased tax credits will also kick in from the beginning of 2025.

I’m a smoker. I’ll be able to wait a while before I pay the higher price too then?

Oh no. The €1 that was added to a pack of 20 cigarettes came into force within hours of the budget being published.