From Department of Social Protection 

Published on 29 February 2024

Last updated on 29 February 2024

• Child Benefit to be extended to 18-year-olds in full-time education or with a disability
• Legislation passed in the Dáil to introduce the changes from May instead of September
• Eligible parents of children who turned 18 after May 2023 will be paid again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday

Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has today announced that legislation has been passed in the Dáil to give effect to the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds from May 1st.

Minister Humphreys secured agreement to extend Child Benefit to 18-year-olds as part of Budget 2024 with the measure due to be implemented from September.

However, the Minister recently secured Cabinet approval to introduce the changes four months earlier from May 1st.

Legislation has now been passed in the Dáil to give effect to these changes.

This means that from May 1st, Child Benefit will be paid to anyone who is 18 and in full-time education, or who has a disability, up until their 19th birthday.

The measure will benefit around 60,000 children annually.

The Minister has today emphasised that for any family that is currently out of payment – but their child is 18 and in full education or has a disability – their payment will be reinstated. In the coming weeks, the Department will begin communicating directly with families that will benefit from this measure.

Speaking today, Minister Humphreys said:

“I’m delighted to announce that legislation has been passed in the Dáil to extend Child Benefit to 18-year-olds from May 1st.

“This measure was initially due to come into effect in September. However, I recently secured Cabinet approval to implement the change from May.

“Child Benefit is a vital support for so many working families and this extension will benefit thousands of families right across the country, who up until now saw their Child Benefit cease as soon as their child turned 18.

“Parents of children who turned 18 after May 2023 will be paid again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday, once their child is in full-time education.

“So if you are out of payment and your child is 18 and still in full-time education, your payment will be reinstated by the Department.

“We expect that some 60,000 children will benefit annually as a result of the changes that have now been passed in the Dáil.”

Note for Editors:

The Department of Social Protection will be in contact with all recipients of Child Benefit over the coming months to advise of the next steps.

In the case of a child who turned 18 after May 2023 and they are still in full-time education, they will be eligible again from May 2024 up to their 19th birthday.

As the measure comes into effect in May, there will be no payment for any intervening period up to May 2024.

The parent/guardian does not need to reapply if the child is in full-time education and the Department holds a current education certificate. The payment will be reactivated from May 2024 as long as the certificate is valid, and payment will continue for as long as a valid education certificate is in place or the child turns 19, whichever comes first.

If the child turns 18 after May 2024, Child Benefit will automatically be extended to either the 19th birthday or the expiry date of the current certificate.

In cases where the education certificate expires prior to the 19th birthday, a new education certificate will be issued to the parent/guardian before it expires. This must be completed and returned to allow payment of Child Benefit to resume.

The Department will contact a parent/guardian directly if they need to provide an updated education certificate.

For those individuals who need to update their payment details, the quickest and easiest way to change payment details is online at MyWelfare.ie.