Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment is currently paid in respect of children until their eighteenth birthday who are in full-time education or who have a disability.
Where Child Benefit is in payment, my Department issues "continuing education certificates" in advance of the child's sixteenth birthday. This is a control measure to ensure continued entitlement for all families. Where the school certifies that the child will remain in full time education, payment of Child Benefit continues for the summer months, there is no suspension.
Where the school has not certified continuing education, the Child Benefit payment will be temporarily suspended and the claimant will be advised to confirm continuing education in the Autumn. During the summer, my Department issues letters each of the families affected, which must be completed by the schools to certify the children who have returned to education.
At this point the Child Benefit payment will be reinstated, and payment for the months suspended during the summer will be issued as arrears.
Budget 2024 provides for the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education. This was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024. Work on introducing this change is ongoing. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
