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The Canada Child Benefit’s rules have changed — Here’s what’s new for 2025
<img src="https://www.mtlblog.com/media-library/canadian-money.jpg?id=56011633&width=1200&height=800&coordinates=8%2C0%2C9%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Big news for families who receive the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/canada-child-benefit-payment-date-january-2025" target="_blank">Canada Child Benefit</a> — the rules for the program have been updated, and the change will make a difference for certain Canadian parents beginning this month. </p><p>The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a lifeline for many families across the country, helping with the costs of raising children. Starting in January 2025, grieving parents will see a change in how the <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/cra-tax-return-2024-whats-new" target="_blank">Canada Revenue Agency</a> (CRA) handles these <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/revenu-quebec-cra-payment-dates-february-2025" target="_blank">government payments</a>.</p><p>The CRA has announced that families will now be able to receive CCB payments for six months after the death of a child, as long as the parent or guardian is still eligible. The change, first introduced in Budget 2024, also applies to the Child Disability Benefit.</p><p>Previously, CCB payments stopped at the end of the month following a child's death, which left families scrambling to cover unexpected costs like funeral expenses, which are not covered by the benefit. Now, with this extra six months of support, parents have a bit more breathing room to focus on what matters most during this difficult time.</p><p>Families are still required to report the child's death before the end of the following month to access the extended payments.</p><p>The update comes nearly three years after <a href="https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-3589" target="_blank">a petition</a> calling on the federal government to extend CCB payments for two months after a child's death was presented to the House of Commons. </p><p>"Funeral costs, as well as other expenses associated with death, can be significant and there is no public program to help families to cover said expenses when a child dies," the petition reads.</p><p>"It would be in line with the spirit of the CCB program to continue providing payments for two months after the death of a child to help with the burden of funeral costs."</p><p>The rule change officially kicked in on January 1, 2025. </p><p>This summer, CCB payment amounts are also set to get their <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/canada-child-benefit-increase-2025" target="_blank">annual increase for inflation</a>.</p><p><span></span><em>Love this? Check out our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/notices/" target="_blank">MTL Blog noticeboard</a> for details on jobs, benefits, travel info and more!</em></p><p><em>AI tools may have been used to support the creation or distribution of this content; however, it has been carefully edited and fact-checked by a member of MTL Blog's Editorial team. For more information on our use of AI, please visit our <a href="https://www.mtlblog.com/editorial-standards" target="_blank">Editorial Standards page</a>.</em></p>
