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Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced a Double Child Benefit Payment will be paid this week to support 638,000 families with the Cost of Living.

The measure means that €280 will be paid in respect of 1.2 million children across the State.

It’s the second of eight lump sum payments, as part of a €1.2 billion package, designed to support families and the vulnerable over the winter months.

The Double Child Benefit Payment will be received in families’ bank accounts from today, costing a total of €170 million.

Minister Humphreys announced the details of the Double Child Benefit Payment during a visit to the Ballyroan Community and Youth Centre in Rathfarnham, South Dublin.

Speaking during the visit, Minister Humphreys said:

“I’m very pleased to announce that 638,000 families will receive a Double Child Benefit Payment this week to support them with the cost of living.

“This means that €280 will be paid in respect of 1.2 million children across the State.

“Child Benefit is an extremely important income support that reaches hundreds of thousands of hardworking families.

“As Minister, I’m deeply conscious of the difficulties families are facing right now in meeting their bills.

“This double payment is one of eight lump sum payments that I secured as part of the Budget to help households during this extremely challenging period.”

Minister Humphreys added:

“The double child benefit payment will be received in people’s bank accounts beginning from today.

“It follows the Autumn Double Payment last month, which supported 1.4 million pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and working families.

“And over the course of the next few weeks, I will be announcing the details of further lump sum payments to support people with their household bills.

“These will include the €400 lump sum fuel allowance payment, the €200 payment for people living alone, the €500 payment for carers, the €500 support for people with disabilities and the €500 payment for those n receipt of the Working Family Payment.

“These will be followed by the payment of the Christmas Bonus in December,

“This €1.2 billion package of lump sum payments is about helping families and our most vulnerable with the rising costs they are facing over the winter period.”

ENDS

Note to Editor:

Child Benefit is a monthly payment of €140 for each child. The payment for November is being doubled to €280 for each child.

It is made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years.

The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday if they are in full-time education or have a disability.

The Double Child Benefit Payment is part of 8 lump-sum payments totalling €1.2 billion to help with the Cost of Living.

The lump-sum payments were announced as part of last month’s record Social Protection Budget.

County Breakdown of Child Benefit Recipients: