Social Welfare Act, 1998

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Child benefit (new rates, etc.).

6.—(1) The Fourth Schedule to the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for Part III (inserted by section 5 of the Act of 1997) of the following Part:

“PART III

Amounts of Child Benefit

”.

(2) Section 194 of the Principal Act (as amended by section 5 of the Act of 1996) is hereby amended by—

(a) the substitution for subsection (2) of the following subsection:

“(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the monthly benefit payable to a qualified person in respect of a qualified child whose birth was part of—

(a) a multiple birth of two children, of whom two remain qualified, shall be 150 per cent. of the amount as set out in Part III of the Fourth Schedule, or

(b) a multiple birth of three or more children, of whom—

(i) not less than three remain qualified, shall be 200 per cent. of the amount as set out in Part III of the Fourth Schedule,

(ii) not less than two remain qualified, shall be 150 per cent. of the amount as set out in Part III of the Fourth Schedule, and

(iii) one remains qualified, shall be payable at the amount set out in Part III of the Fourth Schedule.”,

(b) the substitution for subsection (4) of the following subsection:

“(4) The amount of the grant payable in accordance with subsection (3) shall be £500.”,

and

(c) the substitution for subsections (6A) (inserted by section 5 of the Act of 1996) and (7) of the following subsections:

“(7) Subject to this Act, a person who is qualified for child benefit shall be paid a grant of £500 in respect of a multiple birth of two or more qualified children, on the 4th and 12th anniversary of the birth of the last born of such multiple birth.

(8) Payment of a grant under subsection (3) or subsection (7) shall be in addition to any child benefit payable by way of a monthly benefit under this Part in respect of the children concerned.”.

(3) This section shall come into operation on the 1st day of September, 1998.