Over 4,400 Families to Receive Newborn Baby Grants this Week

• The first Newborn Baby Grants to be paid today
• €280 grant payable with the first month of Child Benefit
• Over 4,400 families to receive the payment today

Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, has today announced that the payment of the first Newborn Baby Grants will be made to parents this week.

Over 4,400 families will receive the grant for 4,522 children.

The Newborn Baby Grant applies to all children born on or after 1st December 2024 and who qualify for Child Benefit from birth. All of the parents have been advised of the payment of the new grant.

From March, eligible parents will receive the Newborn Baby Grant in addition to the first month’s Child Benefit payment.

In a full year it is expected that Newborn Baby Grants will be paid in respect of 54,000 children at a cost of €15 million.

Announcing the payment details, Minister Calleary commented:

“I am delighted that this week will see the rolling out of the first of the Newborn Baby Grants that were announced as part of Budget 2025.

This means that families of newborns will receive their Newborn Baby Grant payments today.

These payments will help parents by putting extra money in their pockets at a joyful but costly time for families.”

The Newborn Baby Grant is paid automatically with the first month of Child Benefit payment. Parents of new babies do not need to apply for the grant as it will be automatically paid to families of newborns born on or after the 1^st December 2024. 

NEWBORN BABY GRANT

The Newborn Baby Grant is part of the whole-of-Government First 5 strategy to improve the lives of babies, young children and their families. It is a ten-year plan to help make sure all children have positive early experiences and get a great start in life.

This bonus payment on the birth of a child aims to assist parents with the costs associated with new babies, by providing an additional financial support to a family to ensure adequate resources and material needs of a newborn are met.

CHILD BENEFIT

Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 (or until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability).

The standard rate of Child Benefit is €140 per month.

Child Benefit is paid on the first Tuesday of every month. The first payment is made the month after the child is born.

Twins are paid at one and a half times the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double the standard monthly rate for each child, that is €280 per child.

A grant of €280 will now be paid in respect of all newborn children. This is in addition to the regular €140 Child Benefit payment in the first month. The payment will be made in respect of approximately 54,000 children each year.

As a result of this measure, in the month after the birth of their child, qualifying parents will be eligible for:

• In the case of a single birth, a payment of €420 (the usual Child Benefit payment of €140 plus the new baby grant of €280)
• In the case of twins, a payment of €980 (the usual Child Benefit payment of €210 per child plus two new baby grants of €280 each).
• In the case of triplets, a payment of €1,680 (the usual Child Benefit payment of €280 per child plus two three new baby grants of €280 each). 

County Breakdown of Newborn Baby Grant Recipients 11 February 2025: