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Benefits for children under 25

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Step 1 Overview

The Canada Pension Plan (CPP) children's benefits provide monthly payments to the dependent children of disabled or deceased CPP contributors.

There are two types of CPP children's benefits:

  • a disabled contributor's child's benefit: a monthly payment for a child of the person receiving a CPP disability benefit or a post-retirement disability benefit
  • a surviving child's benefit: a monthly payment for a child of the deceased contributor. For the benefit to be paid, the deceased contributor must have made sufficient contributions to the CPP

A child can be paid a maximum of two children's benefits.

Step 2 Do you qualify

To be eligible, the child must be either:

  • under age 18, or
  • age 18 to 25 and in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university

The child must also be:

  • the natural child of the contributor
  • a child adopted "legally" or "in fact" by the contributor while under the age of 21
  • a child "legally" or "in fact" living with and under the contributor’s decision-making responsibility while under the age of 21

A child may be eligible if the parent or guardian:

  • is receiving a CPP disability benefit (either the disability benefit or the post-retirement disability benefit)
  • has died and met the CPP contributory requirements for a CPP death benefit

If the child is age 18 to 25, the child must be in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university to receive a children's benefit.

Note: If the disabled contributor is over the age of 65 and the child stops attending school, the child’s eligibility to the disabled contributor’s child’s benefit ends.

Step 3 How much could a child receive

The monthly children's benefit is based on a flat rate that is adjusted annually.

Children under the age of 18 receive the flat rate.

Children aged 18 to 25 and in full-time attendance at a recognized school or university receive the flat rate.

Children aged 18 to 25 and in part-time attendance at a recognized school or university receive half of the flat rate.

Consult the table of current Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payment amounts.

Step 4 When to apply

Dependent children, or their parent or guardian, should complete an application when any of the following happens:

  • a parent or guardian has applied for a CPP disability benefit (either the disability benefit or the post-retirement disability benefit) (you do not have to wait for the benefit to be approved before applying)
  • a child begins living with a parent or guardian who receives a CPP disability benefit (either the disability benefit or the post-retirement disability benefit)
  • a parent or guardian dies

You should apply as soon as possible. If you delay, you might lose benefits. The Canada Pension Plan can only make back payments for up to 12 months (11 months plus the month you apply).

Step 5 Who should complete the application

If you have decision-making responsibility and care of a dependent child of a disabled or deceased contributor and the child is under the age of 18, you should apply for the children's benefit on behalf of the child. However, children under age 18, who are living on their own and capable of managing their own affairs may complete their own application.

If you are a dependent child aged 18 to 25, and in full-time or part-time attendance at a school or university, you should apply for the children's benefit yourself.

Step 6 Apply

Apply for a child under age 18

Child of a disabled contributor:

To apply online:

Other way to apply

By mail

To apply using a paper application:

Child of a deceased contributor:

To apply online:

Other way to apply

By mail

To apply using a paper application:

Note: Photocopies of documents will be accepted when proof is required. The copy must be readable and cannot be altered in any way. Service Canada may request an original copy or certified copy at any time.

Apply for the CPP children’s benefit for students aged 18 to 25 in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university

To apply you must:

  • include a proof of enrolment or have an authorized representative from the school complete Section E of the form, and
  • mail the forms to us

Renew the CPP children's benefit for students aged 18 to 25 in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university

Full-time students: can renew their benefits online through their My Service Canada Account (MSCA).

Part-time students: must submit the paper form to renew their benefits.

To renew online

Note: Part-time students must submit the paper form to apply for or renew their benefits.

Other way to renew

By mail

To renew using a paper application

  • Include a proof of enrolment or have an authorized representative from the school complete Section E of the form, and
  • Mail the forms to us

Proof of Enrolment

We accept the following as proof of enrolment:

The attestation must be a written statement or declaration that includes:

  • your name
  • your student ID
  • your program of study
  • information about your school (name and address)
  • start and end dates for the semester, term or school year, and
  • enrolment status for the semester, term or school year (full-time or part-time)

School attendance requirements

If you are age 18 to 25, you must be attending school full-time or part-time at a recognized school or university to receive a children's benefit.

Recognized school or university

We define recognized educational institutions as:

  • schools
  • colleges
  • universities
  • other educational institutions

That provide training or instruction of an:

  • educational
  • professional
  • vocational
  • technical nature

The institution must also be recognized by the province in which it is located.

Attending school outside Canada

The school must be recognized by the CPP, and you must continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

Taking evening classes

Evening classes and daytime classes have the same value when determining school attendance.

Taking virtual or off-site classes

It is possible to be considered a full-time or part-time student without being physically present at the institution.

Vacation

The children's benefit is paid during normal school vacation periods. The benefit will stop if you do not send us a completed school attendance form when you return to school.

You must complete the Canada Pension Plan Child’s Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402) when you first apply for the benefit, at the beginning of every school year, and when you return to school after taking a break from your studies.

We may also ask you to renew your benefits at the beginning of each semester if you are:

  • on a semester system
  • if your attendance starts in the middle of the traditional school year

The Canada Pension Plan Child's Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402) must be completed each year or semester and submitted with proof of enrolment.

If the you leave school and then later return to school full-time or part-time, you must complete a new Canada Pension Plan Child's Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402).

Step 7 After you apply

Your first payment

Children of disabled CPP contributors:

  • the month the contributor's CPP disability benefit (either the disability benefit or the post-retirement disability benefit) starts
  • the month after the child is born or becomes the contributor's child, or
  • 12 months before the application was received, including the month it was received

Children of deceased CPP contributors (the latest of):

  • the month after the contributor's death
  • the month after the child is born or becomes the contributor's child, or
  • 12 months before the application was received, including the month it was received

Who receives the payment

Children of disabled CPP contributors:

The benefit is paid on behalf of the child to the disabled contributor, if:

  • the child lives with the disabled contributor
  • the disabled contributor has decision-making responsibility of the child
  • the child is under age 18

The person or agency that has decision making responsibility and care of the child may receive the disabled contributor's child benefit on behalf of the child.

Children aged 18 to 25 in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university:

The benefit is paid directly to the child.

Children of deceased CPP contributors:

For the child under age 18, the benefit is paid on their behalf to the person or agency that has decision-making responsibility and care of the child.

Children aged 18 to 25 in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university:

The benefit is paid directly to the child.

When the benefit could stop

The benefit will stop:

  • the month after the child turns 18, or, if between the ages of 18 to 25, is no longer in full-time or part-time attendance at a school or university
  • the month after the child turns 25
  • the month after the child dies

If your situation changes

You must notify Service Canada if:

  • you stop attending school (for children 18 to 25 years old)
  • your enrolment status changes (for children 18 to 25 years old)
  • your relationship to the contributor ends or changes
  • your decision-making responsibility and parenting time of a dependent child starts, changes, or ends, and/or
  • you change your name, address or bank account for direct deposit.

Remember, if you receive payments you are not entitled to, you will have to pay them back.

When a child reaches 18

Children are eligible for benefits from age 18 until age 25, if they are in full-time or part-time attendance at a school or university.

Please refer to the section on how to apply for a child aged 18 to 25 in full-time or part-time attendance at a recognized school or university.

When a child works in the summer

Eligibility for the children's benefit is not affected by working in the summer, as long as all eligibility requirements continue to be met.

When a child gets married

Benefits are not affected if the child marries, as long as all eligibility requirements continue to be met.

Converting a disabled contributor's child's benefit into a surviving child's benefit

Your eligibility for the disabled contributor's children's benefit would end the month of the disabled contributor’s death. However, you could then be eligible for the children's benefit as the child of a deceased CPP contributor.

If you are aged 18 to 25 and receiving the disabled contributor’s child’s benefit, it will convert to a surviving child's benefit automatically when we are notified of the contributor's death. However, an application for the surviving child's benefit must be made for children under the age of 18.

Absences from school

You must notify Service Canada should you interrupt, stop or change your attendance at school or university. Please notify Service Canada when you have any absences to determine what may be required to continue receiving your benefits.

Note: Make sure to document the duration and reasons for absences during your current or past academic year on the Canada Pension Plan Child’s Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402).

For extended absence periods due to illness, you will require an illness certificate (ISP-1403).

Circumstances where absences would require an illness certificate

Absences that occur during the school year

Illness certificates can cover temporary breaks in attendance, starting after the beginning of the school year and ending before its scheduled completion. A new Canada Pension Plan Child’s Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402) must be provided to confirm continuation of full-time or part-time studies.

Absences that last until the end of a school year

Illness certificates can cover the period up to the scheduled end of the school year.

Absences that extend into the following school year

Illness certificates can cover a period that extends into the next school year. A new Canada Pension Plan Child’s Benefit Application and Declaration for a student over 18 years of age in Attendance at School or University (ISP1402) must be provided to confirm continuation of full-time or part-time studies.

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

Page details

2026-06-03