Child benefit payments paid out for 7,500 Cork 18-year-olds in education or with a disability

Child benefit payments have now been distributed in respect of more than 7,500 18-year-olds in Cork, following an extension of the scheme earlier this year.

Since May 2024, child benefit has been extended to 18-year-olds in full-time education or with a disability following changes introduced by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys.

It will be paid up until their 19th birthday at a rate of €140 per month.

She has now announced that child benefit has been paid in respect of almost 60,000 18-year-olds nationally for the very first time, including 7,522 in Cork.

Ms Humphreys said: “I am delighted to see so many young people and their families benefitting from this extension of child benefit, a vital for hard-working families.

“This measure which I successfully brought through Government is now being felt in the pockets of families all over the country.”

She explained: “Children are starting primary school that little bit later, at the age five, and many are also doing transition year as part of their secondary school education.

“The extension of child benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education or with a disability is a long-term change for the better which will all families across Ireland into the future.”

The parent or guardian of the 18-year-old does not need to reapply to the scheme if the child is in full-time education and the Department holds a current education certificate.

The Department will be directly in with a parent or guardian if they need to provide an updated education certificate.