Family
Child Benefit in 2026 and 2027: €140 a month for each child
Last updated 16 October 2026
Child Benefit is €140 a month per child under 16, or up to 18 in full-time education. It's tax-free, not linked to income, and unchanged in Budget 2027.
Child Benefit is a monthly payment from the Department of Social Protection to the parents or guardians of children who live in Ireland. It doesn't depend on your income or your PRSI record, and you don't pay tax on it.
How much
It is €140 a month for each child in 2026. Budget 2027 left the rate unchanged for 2027. Twins are paid one and a half times the normal rate for each child, and triplets or more double the rate.
| Children | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | €140 | €1,680 |
| 2 | €280 | €3,360 |
| 3 | €420 | €5,040 |
| 4 | €560 | €6,720 |
It is paid on the first Tuesday of each month. A New Baby Grant is paid with the first month's payment for children born or adopted from 1 December 2024.
Which children qualify
- children under 16
- 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in full-time education or training, or with a disability that means they can't support themselves
It stops at 19, even if the child is still in education. If a child has finished sixth year and is waiting to start further education or training, it continues until October. They must be under 19. Before a child turns 16, the Department sends a form to be stamped by the school or college to extend the payment.
Who is paid
It is normally paid to the child's mother or stepmother, or to the father or stepfather if the child doesn't live with her. Where parents live apart, it goes to the parent the child lives with most of the time; with equal time, to the mother. You must be living in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition. EU and European Economic Area citizens working here meet it automatically.
Claiming
For a baby born in Ireland, registering the birth within three months gives the baby a PPSN and starts the claim. You get a partly completed form, or the new child is added to your existing claim. Otherwise, claim on form CB1, within 12 months of the birth, of the child joining your family, or of your family moving to Ireland.
How it fits with tax
- It isn't taxable and doesn't count as income for the Working Family Payment.
- Receiving it is one of the tests for the Home Carer Tax Credit, worth up to €1,950 in 2026.
- Where custody is equal, whoever receives Child Benefit is the primary claimant for the Single Person Child Carer Credit.
Work it out
Sources
- Citizens Information: Social welfare rates 2026 (checked 25/10/2026)
- Citizens Information: Social welfare rates 2027 (checked 25/10/2026)
- Citizens Information: Budget 2027 (checked 25/10/2026)
General information, not tax advice. HeyPenny is not a tax agent.