Urgent Warning Issued To Parents Ahead Of Major Child Benefit Change

An urgent warning has been issued to parents by the Government ahead of a major child benefit change that’s coming into effect next week.

With the scheme being extended to those with children in full time education up to the age of 19, around 60,000 children and their families will receive a €140 cash boost.

Previously, the payment only applied to families with children up to the age of 16 and children who were still in full-time education until the age of 18.

Asking parents to provide the necessary documentation before May 1, Minister Heather Humphreys confirmed the payments won’t be backdated.

Any child who turned 18 before May, won’t get the payment until the new measures come into effect next week and will only be eligible until they turn 19.

Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday where they are in full-time education, or have a disability.

In Budget 2024, the Government decided to extend the payment of child benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or have a disability. This was one of my key priorities in the Budget.

‘This is a significant change to the child benefit scheme. It requires technical and operational changes before implementation,’ said Minister Humphreys.

While the scheme was originally not set to come into effect until September, it was brought forward to May in a boost to families struggling amid the cost of living crisis.

Ms Humphreys explained: ‘In the region of 60,000 children are expected to benefit from this measure annually. The additional estimated cost of bringing the commencement date forward to May is €21.6 million.

‘In the case of a child who has already turned 18 and who is still in full-time education, child benefit will be payable again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday, or until they leave full-time education, whichever is sooner.

‘In the case of a child with a disability, child benefit will be payable again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday. My Department has been contacting families who are required to provide documentation to ensure Child Benefit for eligible families can be resumed in May.’

She added: ‘As the measure comes into effect from May 1, where a child turns 18 in the meantime, there will be no payment for any intervening period up to May 2024, which is the usual approach for changes to the social welfare system that take effect from a future date.’