Child Benefit
Child Benefit
Child Benefit is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up a child or young
person. It's paid for each child that qualifies and isn't affected by income or
savings, so most people bringing up a child can get Child Benefit.
Who is eligible?
You'll be able to get Child Benefit if you're bringing up:
£17.45 a week for the eldest child
£11.70 a week for each additional child
How it's paid
Child Benefit can be paid into a bank, building society, Post Office or
National Savings account that accepts Direct Payment, or you may be sent a
cheque to cash at the Post Office.
Child Benefit is paid every four weeks, but it can be paid weekly if:
Although Child Benefit isn't 'means tested' ( it's not affected by income or
savings), it can affect the amount of other benefits you may be getting that
are means tested. These benefits include:
Income Support
Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing / Council Tax Benefit
New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit
For Tax Credit purposes Child Benefit is not counted as income.
How to claim
You should claim Child Benefit as soon as:
child or young person's birth or adoption certificate.
If your child has just been born, you should have a claim form in your 'Bounty
Pack' from the hospital. Or you can complete a form online (or print one out
to fill in later) at the HM Revenue & Customs website.
What to do if your circumstances change
You'll need to let the Child Benefit Office know if your circumstances
change - for example, if the child you're getting Child Benefit for:
is 16 or 17 and has left school and registers for work or training with the
Careers or Connexions service or similar
is 16 to 19 and has left full-time further education or approved training
earlier than the date you told the Child Benefit Office
no longer lives with you
You can contact the Child Benefit Office by calling their helpline on 0845
302 1444, textphone 0845 302 1474 (8.00 am to 8.00 pm seven days a
week). You can also let them know about your change in circumstances online.
What else you need to know
You don't have to be the child's parent to get Child Benefit. You may also
qualify if you pay towards their upbringing - even if the child doesn't live
with you. But you'll only get Child Benefit if no one else is claiming it for the
same child.
Child Benefit is a regular payment made to anyone bringing up a child or young
person. It's paid for each child that qualifies and isn't affected by income or
savings, so most people bringing up a child can get Child Benefit.
Who is eligible?
You'll be able to get Child Benefit if you're bringing up:
- a child aged under 16
- a young person under 19 (under 20 in some cases) who is either
studying in full-time non-advanced education (A level or equivalent) or
on an approved training programme - a 16 or 17 year old who recently left school or training and registered
for work or training with the Careers or Connexions Service or similar
£17.45 a week for the eldest child
£11.70 a week for each additional child
How it's paid
Child Benefit can be paid into a bank, building society, Post Office or
National Savings account that accepts Direct Payment, or you may be sent a
cheque to cash at the Post Office.
Child Benefit is paid every four weeks, but it can be paid weekly if:
- you're a single parent
- you or your partner or civil partner are getting Income Support or
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Although Child Benefit isn't 'means tested' ( it's not affected by income or
savings), it can affect the amount of other benefits you may be getting that
are means tested. These benefits include:
Income Support
Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance
Pension Credit
Housing / Council Tax Benefit
New Deal 50 plus Employment Credit
For Tax Credit purposes Child Benefit is not counted as income.
How to claim
You should claim Child Benefit as soon as:
- your child is born
- a child or young person comes to live with you
- you adopt a child
- you start to contribute to the cost of looking after a child
child or young person's birth or adoption certificate.
If your child has just been born, you should have a claim form in your 'Bounty
Pack' from the hospital. Or you can complete a form online (or print one out
to fill in later) at the HM Revenue & Customs website.
What to do if your circumstances change
You'll need to let the Child Benefit Office know if your circumstances
change - for example, if the child you're getting Child Benefit for:
is 16 or 17 and has left school and registers for work or training with the
Careers or Connexions service or similar
is 16 to 19 and has left full-time further education or approved training
earlier than the date you told the Child Benefit Office
no longer lives with you
You can contact the Child Benefit Office by calling their helpline on 0845
302 1444, textphone 0845 302 1474 (8.00 am to 8.00 pm seven days a
week). You can also let them know about your change in circumstances online.
What else you need to know
You don't have to be the child's parent to get Child Benefit. You may also
qualify if you pay towards their upbringing - even if the child doesn't live
with you. But you'll only get Child Benefit if no one else is claiming it for the
same child.