ELIGIBLE families across Ireland look set to receive a €100 cost-of-living boost in just three days.
It comes after Budget 2025 guaranteed the “highest payment” for Irish families – with maternity, paternity, adoptive and parents benefit increasing by €15 weekly, totalling €289.
The payment is now on par with the state pension for the highest payment in the Social Protection system.
And a double Child Benefit payment in November, which has already been paid out, alongside another €280 double bonus next month was also confirmed in the budget.
The majority of the Budget 2025 bonus payments, announced as part of the whopping €2.2 billion cost of living package, have already been paid out.
However, the next payment – the Child Support Grant – is set to hit the accounts of eligible people on Monday.
The payment was formerly known as the Qualified Child allowance but was renamed to provide more clarity.
Speaking in October, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphrey’s said: “It has become clear to me that few people understand the term increase for a qualified child.
“I am therefore renaming this payment to the child support payment.”
The payment saw its largest ever increase in the budget, going up to €50 per week for under 12s, and €62 per week for over 12s.
The increases means the total annual value of the Child Support Payment will be €2,600 for each child under 12 and €3,224 for each child over 12.
Humphrey’s said: “Today’s budget is about giving people a little extra help and putting money back in their pockets.”
And the Child Support Grant is the next payment set to be doled out as part of the cost-of-living package.
Those in receipt of the grant will will be paid a €100 bonus on the week beginning Monday, 25 November – which is just three days away.
Child Support Payment is an extra amount of money that is paid out on top of the personal rate a person receives as part of a social welfare payment.
People who receive certain payments are not eligible for the cash and in some circumstances people may only get a half-rate of the boost.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
To get Child Support Payment, your child must:
- Live with you
- Meet the age requirement for that payment
- Be resident in the State
- Not be in legal custody (detained in a detention school)
It can be paid on behalf of foster children.
And your child does not have to be financially dependent on you and they can be working and earning money without affecting the increase paid to you.
However, you generally do not get CSP if your child is getting their own social welfare payment, except in certain circumstances.
If your child is 18 or over, you can continue getting CSP for three months after they leave second level education, or finish the Leaving Certificate.
And you can still avail of the cash if your child starts work immediately after finishing school.
If your child is in full-time education and you are getting a long-term social welfare payment, or a short-term social welfare payment for at least 156 days, you will get the boost until your child turns 22 or until the end of the academic year in which they turn 22.
If you are getting a short-term social welfare payment, time spent on other social welfare payments can be combined to meet the 156 days.
However, the period between any two payments cannot be more than 26 weeks – or be more than 52 weeks in the case of Jobseeker’s Allowance payments.
WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE?
You do not get Child Support Payment if you are receiving:
- Working Family Payment
- Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)
- Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Death Benefit by way of Orphan’s Payment
And you can’t avail of the boost if the gross income of your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is over €400, and you get illness benefit, injury benefit, health and safety benefit, jobseekers benefit, disablement benefit, carer’s benefit or the contributory state pension.
You do not get CSP if your child is getting a social welfare payment or Supplementary Welfare Allowance in their own right.
There is an exception to this rule if your child is receiving the disablement benefit.
However, if you are getting CSP during the summer holiday period between academic years and your child becomes entitled to a social welfare payment in their own right, you will continue to get the CSP and your child’s payment is reduced by the amount of the CSP.
To get Child Support Payment, you must give details about your child dependant on your claim form when you apply for a social welfare payment.
If you did not claim for your child dependant at the time you made your claim, you should contact the section in the Department of Social Protection which pays your social welfare payment.
Or you can contact your local Intreo or Branch office.
