Child dependant allowances are payable in all cases up to the age of 18 years. Where a claimant is in receipt of a long-term social welfare payment, child dependant allowances are payable where children are in full-time education up to the age of 22 years, or up to the end of the academic year after the 22nd birthday. This applies to long-term payments, such as pensions, only; it does not apply to short-term payments such as disability benefit, unemployment benefit, short-term unemployment assistance and supplementary welfare allowance.
The more favourable treatment of people on long-term payments is in recognition of the fact that families with children on long-term payments face a higher risk of poverty.
The question of extending entitlement to child dependant allowances to short-term welfare claimants on the same basis as applies to long-term welfare claimants, including claimants of unemployment benefit, is a matter for consideration in a budgetary context, having regard to the resources available and to other competing priorities.