Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
71. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend child benefit to 16, 17 and 18 year-olds not in full-time education or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7894/24]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. 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. We had originally provided that the change would take effect from September this year. However, I am very pleased that we are now able to bring this important change in from an earlier date and I have secured Government approval to do that.
It is expected that in the region of 60,000 children will benefit from this measure. The additional estimated cost of bringing the commencement date forward to May is €21.6 million.
Where a child has a disability, Child Benefit continues to be payable until the child's 18th birthday whether or not the child is in full-time education and this is now also being extended until the child's 19th birthday. There are currently no plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of 16, 17 or 18 year olds who are not in full-time education or training. It is important that the Child Benefit payment reflects our policy objective of encouraging young people to remain in education or to avail of the very many training options that are available to them including those available through YouthReach and the Community Training Centres.
Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children up to age 18, whether or not they are in full time education:
• Increase for a Qualified Child with primary social welfare payments; and
• the Working Family Payment for low-paid employees with children.
These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with children.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
