Child Benefit is €140 a month for each child, and your income does not affect it. This guide shows you how to claim, whether your baby was born here or you moved to Ireland with children.
If your baby is born in Ireland, registering the birth starts your Child Benefit claim. If your child was born abroad, or you moved here, you fill in form CB1 and post it to the Department of Social Protection (DSP). The payment is €140 a month for each child.
Who can get it
- Parents or guardians of children under 16.
- Children aged 16, 17 and 18 also count if they are in full-time education or training, or have a disability and cannot support themselves.
- You must live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition (HRC). This is a test that shows Ireland is where you normally live.
- EU and EEA (European Economic Area) citizens working in Ireland automatically meet the HRC. Other people must show they meet it.
- Your income and PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance) record do not matter.
- The payment usually goes to the mother or stepmother.
Child Benefit is not paid for children aged 19 or older, even if they are still in education.
What you need
- A PPS number (Personal Public Service number) for you and your child.
- Your bank or post office account details.
- A verified MyGovID, if the DSP invites you to claim online.
- For form CB1: each child's birth certificate (original or verified copy) showing the parents' names.
- For form CB1: a letter from your child's school, or for younger children from a crèche, playschool, Gardaí or doctor, confirming they live here.
- Non-EU/EEA nationals: verified copies of your certificate of registration, IRP (Irish Residence Permit) card and letter from the Minister for Justice.
- Form HRC1 if you are from outside the EU/EEA, or are a UK, EU or EEA national who is not working.
- Form CB2 for each child aged 16 to 18.
Step by step: baby born in Ireland
- Register your baby's birth within 3 months. The DSP then gives your baby a PPS number.
- Wait for a letter from the Child Benefit Section. For a first child, it contains either a PIN to claim online or a partly completed claim form.
- Log in to MyWelfare.ie with your verified MyGovID and enter the PIN. If you got a paper form instead, sign it.
- Add your bank or post office details and send the claim.
- Check your account the month after the birth. The first payment usually arrives then, with the €280 New Baby Grant.
Already getting Child Benefit for an older child? You do not need to do anything. The new baby is added to your claim when the birth is registered, and you get a letter.
Step by step: child born abroad or moving to Ireland
- Download form CB1 from the gov.ie Child Benefit page. You cannot apply online for a child born abroad.
- Fill in every part of CB1. If you are claiming late, give your reasons in Part 7 and attach proof.
- Fill in form HRC1 if it applies to you.
- Add form CB2 for any child aged 16 to 18, stamped by their school, college, training body or doctor.
- Get copies of your documents verified at any Department of Social Protection office.
- Post everything to: Child Benefit Section, Department of Social Protection, St Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, F92 T449.
Use CB1 too if your baby was born in Ireland but the birth was not registered within 3 months. If you work in Ireland and your children live in another EU country, you may still qualify, but also apply for family benefits there.
How much it is and how long it takes
| Family | Monthly payment |
|---|---|
| 1 child | €140 |
| 2 children | €280 |
| 3 children | €420 |
| 4 children | €560 |
| Twins | €210 for each child |
| Triplets or more | €280 for each child |
The DSP does not publish a standard processing time. What changed: since 1 December 2024, each baby born or adopted gets a once-off €280 New Baby Grant with the first payment (€560 for twins).
Common mistakes
- Waiting more than 3 months to register a birth. You then have to use the paper CB1 form.
- Missing the 12-month window. A late claim may mean you lose some payment.
- Sending plain photocopies or a translated birth certificate on its own. Only verified copies of original documents are accepted.
- Forgetting form CB2. Send it one month before your child's 16th birthday.
- Not reporting changes on form CB56, such as a new address, a new bank or your child leaving full-time education.
If something goes wrong
- Call the Child Benefit Section on 0818 300600 or (074) 916 4496, or email Child.benefit@welfare.ie (9:15am to 4pm, Monday to Friday).
- Claiming late? Explain why in Part 7 of form CB1 and send evidence.
- One parent works in the UK? UK rules continue as before Brexit. If you live in Ireland and work in the UK, you can get UK Child Benefit plus an Irish top-up.
- For free advice, call the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm.
Related guides
- How to get a PPS number
- How to get a verified MyGovID
- How to register a birth in Ireland
- How to apply for a medical card or GP visit card
