Child Benefit cuts were announced in the December 5th 2011 Budget speech – the lower rates will be effective from January 2012 and will take €44.7m out of the income of Irish families next year.
Update: Jan 2013 – See the latest Child Benefit rates for 2013
Child Benefit for the first 2 children is remaining the same (€140 a month) – but the rates for 3rd and subsequent children is being cut .
For some reason – the rate of child benefit in Ireland is currently lower for the first 2 children than the rate for the 3rd child and any other children.
Prior to Budget 2012 – the Child Benefit rate for the first 2 children was €140 a month , the rate for a 3rd child was €167 a month and the rate for the 4th , 5th Child etc was €177 a month
The rate is being cut by €19 a month for the third child – to €148 and cut by €17 a month for 4th and subsequent children to €160 a month from Jan 2012.
Child Benefit Monthly Rates – From Jan 2012
First and Second Child Rate = €140
Third Child 2011 Rate was €167 Reduced by to €148
Fourth and Subsequent Child 2011 was €177 now reduced to €160
Example : Someone with 4 children will have a Child Benefit cut of €36 a month – from €624 to €588. from January 2012
In January 2013 there will be further cuts – so that all children get €140 a month.
For a 5 child family – this will mean a drop in Child Benefit from €801 a month in 2011 to €700 a month by Jan 2013 – this is a fall of €1212 a year
The rate for the first 2 children was previously cut by €10 a month in Budget 2011 – and the third child rate was cut by €20 a month and the rate for subsequent children was cut by €10. See Child Benefit Cuts 2011
In the UK Child Benefit is higher for the first child – they pay out £20.30 a week for the first child and £13.40 for each child after the first.
(Monthly equivalents €103 a month and €68)