December Babies will be excluded from Child Benefit Budget Bonanza – Lawlor
As child benefit is not paid in the month a child is born, Labour Wexford Cllr George Lawlor has pointed out that babies born in December will be excluded from the Budget Child Benefit Bonanza, and called on the government to fix this and give Christmas babies a boost.
Cllr Lawlor said:
“The government has made much of the proposals to pay two double child benefit payments this winter, and to introduce a newborn baby grant for children born after 1 January 2025.
“Any baby born in December will be excluded from this bonanza as child benefit is not paid in the month that a child is born. They will miss out on the two double payments, and not be eligible for the newborn baby grant.
“Babies born in October will be eligible for the double payments in November and December, and those born in November will receive a December double boost.
“I’m sure the Minister for Social Protection did not mean to exclude December babies and she still has time to fix it. Labour in our Alternative Budget proposals called for child benefit to be paid in the month a child is born costing €8m a year.
“It is really unfair that parents of Christmas babies will not get an extra boost this December when all other children will. The Minister should make the newborn baby grant retrospective to Budget Day, and provide for child benefit to be paid in the month a child is born.”