Social welfare Ireland: Payment date confirmed for budget's €420 baby boost grant for parents

The €420 'baby boost' grant is being rolled out from January but the Minister for Social Protection has said that parents of babies born in December 2024 will still receive it

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has confirmed when new parents can expect the triple Child Benefit baby boost to come into effect.

The €420 lump sum was announced as part of Budget 2025 earlier this week and will be paid for parents as their first Child Benefit payment.

The minister has said that the first payment will be made in January, but parents of babies born in December of this year will still receive it.

Read more:Budget 2025: How to qualify for €400 once-off bonus that will be paid next month

Read more:Social welfare Ireland: Thousands can avail of 'Child Support' cash boost of up to €516 per child

Heather Humphreys told the Dáil that she was contacted by many women since the budget announcement whose babies are due to arrive in December.

Ms Humphreys said they were worried their babies would arrive too late for the double child benefit payment that month but too early for the newborn grant which will be paid from January.

"As a mother, I do not want to see any woman miss out," she said. "I am pleased to confirm to the House tonight that babies born in December will be eligible to receive the newborn grant when their mother receives their first Child Benefit payment in January.

"So my message to those families is – don’t worry, the Christmas babies will be looked after."

The mothers of babies born in December will now be eligible to receive the €420 grant when they receive their first child benefit payment in January. The Budget had previously indicated that the grant would be paid to every baby born from just after midnight on January 1, 2025.

The mothers of babies born in December will now be eligible to receive the €420 grant when they receive their first child benefit payment in January. The Budget had previously indicated that the grant would be paid to every baby born from just after midnight on January 1, 2025.

Child Benefit is €140 a month for each child. It is a ‘universal’ payment. This means you can get it regardless of your income and social insurance (PRSI) record. It is paid on the first Tuesday of every month.

If you have never received Child Benefit before and then you have a baby, you’ll get your first payment at the start of the month after your child is born.

If your baby is born in Ireland, you must register their birth within 3 months. After you do this, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) will:

• Give a Personal Public Service (PPS) number to your baby, and
• Start a Child Benefit claim for your child

If you’re not claiming Child Benefit for any other children, the Child Benefit Section of the DSP will send you a partly completed Child Benefit form CB1 (pdf).

The form will include information on how you can claim for your new baby online. You can claim online only if you are invited to do so by the DSP.

If you are already claiming Child Benefit for another child, your new baby will be added to your Child Benefit claim.

The DSP will write to you confirming when payment will start.

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