Social welfare recipients warned ahead of March changes

Social welfare recipients should take note of this change

Due to the upcoming bank holiday, payments will be made earlier than usual.

The Department of Social Protection confirmed that payments due on March 18th will be paid on March 15th instead.

Payments due on March 19th will remain the same.

The Department of Social Protection stated: "Monday 18 March is a Bank Holiday and as a result, any social welfare payments due to be in your account on Monday 18 March will now be paid on Friday 15 March instead. Payments will be paid as normal on Tuesday 19 March."

The update comes after parents and guardians were informed that the child benefit payment will be extended.

60,000 families will benefit after the Cabinet approved an extension of child benefit payments.

The payment has been extended to families with children aged 18 in full-time education, as well as those who have a disability.

It is understood that 60,000 families are set to benefit from the expansion.

The change to child benefit payments was not set to be introduced until September but has since been moved up to May.

Those eligible for the child benefit payment will receive €140 per child per month. The extension was introduced in a bid to help families with the ongoing cost of living crisis. It was also introduced to acknowledge the vast number of teenagers in full-time education in Ireland.

The payment is not means tested, unlike other social welfare payments.

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