Parents of 16 to 19-year-olds are being urged to confirm their child’s plans before 31 August – or risk Child Benefit payments stopping automatically. It takes just a few minutes to reconfirm Child Benefit on the HMRC app or GOV.UK.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, answers the key questions to help you keep your payments and avoid missing out.
What is Child Benefit and how much is it worth?
Child Benefit is a regular payment from the government to help with the cost of raising a child. It’s paid every four weeks, or weekly, to parents or carers who are responsible for a child under 16 or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.
It’s currently worth £27.05 a week (£1,406.60 a year) for your eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child.
Why does Child Benefit stop when my child turns 16?
Child Benefit is designed to support parents while their child is in full-time, non-advanced education or approved training. Payments can stop when a child turns 16, if they choose to leave education.
But if your child decides to stay in approved education or approved unpaid training programmes, you can continue to claim Child Benefit. Child Benefit payments stop once a child turns 20 years old.
I’ve received a letter from HMRC. What do I need to do?
If you’ve received a letter asking you to confirm your 16-19 year old’s plans, you need to act before 31 August. The letter includes a QR code that takes you straight to the digital service on GOV.UK ‑ simply scan it with your smartphone camera to get started.
You can also log in to the HMRC app or go directly to GOV.UK to extend your claim. You don’t need to wait for a letter – if you already know your teenager’s plans, you can act right now.
What counts as qualifying education or training?
Child Benefit can continue if your child is in full-time, non-advanced education such as A levels, T levels, GCSEs, Scottish Highers, NVQs or equivalent qualifications, or on approved training schemes.
It cannot be claimed if your child is doing a university degree, a standard apprenticeship in England, or a course that is part of a job contract. Check the full list of eligible courses on GOV.UK.
What if my child is undecided about what they’re doing?
If your child hasn’t yet confirmed their plans, don’t panic – but do act as soon as they have decided. If there’s any chance they’ll be staying in qualifying education or training, extend your claim before 31 August to avoid missing any payments.
What if my child changes their mind after I’ve extended my claim?
If your child’s plans change – for example, if they decide to leave education or take up an apprenticeship – you must tell HMRC as soon as possible to avoid being overpaid. Overpayments may need to be repaid, so it’s important to keep your details up to date.
You can report changes quickly and easily via the HMRC app or GOV.UK.
What if I miss the 31 August deadline?
If you don’t confirm your teenager’s plans by 31 August, your Child Benefit payments will automatically stop. While you can restart your claim later, this may result in you missing out on payments.
How do I extend my claim?
The quickest and easiest ways are via the HMRC app, or online at GOV.UK. If you’ve had a letter from HMRC you can also scan the QR code to go straight to the digital service. If you’re unable to use online services, you can call or write to us using the contact details in your letter.
Image: Depositphotos
