Double payment this week for 23,000 Offaly social welfare recipients

More than 23,000 social welfare recipients in Offaly will receive a double payment this week.

The double lump sum is being paid out to pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents, low-income families and those on schemes including the Tús, Community Employment or Rural Social Schemes.

Nationally, the January bonus will be paid to 1.3 milllion people. The initiative, introduced in this year's budget, will cost €342 million.

Offaly Minister of State Pippa Hackett welcomed the double payment this week.

"The lump sum payment is the first of its kind in January, and is part of Government's commitment to assist individuals and families with increases in the cost of living," she said.

"This payment forms part of Budget 2024 which included the largest social welfare package in the history of the State."

The double lump sum will be paid on the same basis as the Christmas bonus, and will include the core weekly rate increases that came into effect at the start of this year.