Little cheer for 986,000 on welfare as U-turn ruled out on Christmas bonus

ALMOST one million people are facing a tougher Christmas after the Government said it had no plans to alter the decision not to pay the traditional social welfare bonus.

The bonus consists of a double payment coming up to Christmas, but the Government announced in the April Budget that it would not be paid this year because of the crisis in the public finances.

There have been repeated calls since for the Government to reverse this decision because of the hardship it will cause for welfare recipients.