Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
528. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the qualifying conditions for the double child benefit payment announced in budget 2025 and expected to be paid in November; if children born in November 2024 qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43089/24]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16,17 and 18 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
In Budget 2025, I provided for two Child Benefit double payments to be paid before the end of this year. As a result, a double Child Benefit payment will issue to families on November 5th and December 3rd 2024.
Child Benefit becomes payable in respect of newborn babies in the month after their birth. Parents of children born in November of this year will therefore become eligible for Child Benefit from December onwards, and qualify for the December double payment.
Each of these double payments will be paid to approximately 678,000 recipients in respect of approximately 1,227,000 children, at an estimated cost of €371.4 million.
In addition to these double payments, I was delighted to introduce a new baby grant of €280 as part of Budget 2025. This will be paid to families of babies born on or after 1 December 2024 in addition to their regular first month’s Child Benefit payment of €140. As a result, those families will receive a payment of €420 in respect of the first month after their child’s birth.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
