Two-week warning for thousands to renew benefits - or risk money being stopped

18 August 2023 , 12:10

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Child Benefit normally stops after ypur child turns 16 (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Thousands of parents have just under two weeks left to renew their Child Benefit claim - or risk their payments being stopped.

Child Benefit is a monthly payment worth £24 a week for your first child, then £15.90 a week for any additional child you may have. To claim Child Benefit, you need to live in the UK and be responsible for someone under the age of 16.

However, you may be able to keep on claiming until your child turns 20 if they are in approved education or training. This can include A-Levels, NVQs or even home education, but it does not include university or BTEC qualifications. You can see a full list below.

HMRC will send you a letter asking if your child is still in full-time education when they turn 16. If the answer is yes, you must reply, or let HMRC know using your Government Gateway account, before August 31 after your child's 16th birthday.

What counts as approved full-time education?

• A-Levels or similar, for example Pre-U, International Baccalaureate

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• T-Levels

• Scottish Highers

• NVQs and other vocational qualifications up to Level 3

• Home education - if it started before your child turned 16 or after 16 if they have special needs

• Traineeships in England

Your child must be staying in approved education or training for 12 hours or more each week. Courses are not approved if paid for by an employer.

Who is eligible for Child Benefit?

You need to live in the UK and be responsible for a child - this usually means they live with you, or you pay at least the same amount as Child Benefit towards looking after them.

If two people look after a child, only one person can claim Child Benefit. You can claim Child Benefit if you fostered a child, as long as the local council is not paying anything towards their accommodation or maintenance.

Child Benefit is also available if you adopted your child, as well as in certain circumstances where you're looking after a child for a friend or relative.

If you or your partner earn less than £50,000 per year, you can claim the full amount of Child Benefit - the rates we mentioned above. But if one of you earns over £50,000, you may be liable for a tax charge, known as the "High Income Child Benefit Charge".

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Earn over £60,000 and you'll need to pay back 100% of your Child Benefit - meaning you don't get anything.

Levi Winchester