Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 March 2022
466. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the child benefit until the end of the school year in cases in which a child reaches 18 years of age but is still in full-time education during the leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15858/22]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2.1 billion in 2022.
There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of full-time students in second level education who are over 18 years of age. Such an extension would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children; and
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
As part of Budget 2022, I increased the rates for a qualified child aged under 12 by €2 to €40 per week, and for a qualified child aged 12 or older by €3 to €48 per week, from January. I increased the level of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance by €10 to €160 for each child aged 4 to 11 years and to €285 for each child aged 12 and over. I also equalised the income limits for one and two parent households, thereby making it easier for lone parents to qualify for that payment. Budget 2022 also provided for a €10 weekly increase in the income limits for Working Family Payment, and I am pleased that this will now come into effect from April, 2022.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
