Child benefit for 18-year-olds still in education to be introduced from May

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.”