Q.  I have four children. The last two are twins and I am confused about what Child Benefit payment I will get for them following the Budget. Are they both treated as the third child or are they treated separately?

06.02.11

The Budget reduced Child Benefit payments by €10 for all children and reduced the payment for the third child in a family by another €10. In 2011 Child Benefit is paid at the monthly rate of €140 for the first and second child, €167 for the third child and €177 for the fourth and subsequent children.

Child Benefit for twins is one and a half times the normal monthly rate for each child. This means that the rate for twins can vary depending on their position in the family.

In your case since you have two children already, the twins are the third and fourth children in the family. Therefore the monthly payment for the twins is €250.50 (€167.00 x 1.5) and €265.50 (€177.00 x 1.5). If the twins were the only children in the family Child Benefit would be €210 (€140 x1.5) for each child.

Child Benefit for triplets is paid at double the normal monthly rate for each child and the same principle applies. An extra grant of €635 per child is paid for all multiple births at birth, age 4 and age 12.

Citizens Information: Buncrana 074 9363496; Carndonagh 074 9373741

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