See if there has been a change to your Child Benefit.
If your children or living arrangements change, you must notify HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). This is known as a 'change of circumstance.'
You should report any changes as soon as you become aware of them, ideally within one month.
The change may increase your payment, and you may lose money if you notify HMRC late.
You should still notify HMRC if you believe a change may reduce your Child Benefit; reporting it later will not save you money. If you notify HMRC late, you may be paid too much and be required to repay your benefits to HMRC. This is known as an overpayment.
Even if another government department is aware of the changes, you must notify HMRC. For example, if you notify the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) of a change that affects your other benefits, you must also notify HMRC.
If you used the Tell Us Once service to report the death of a benefit claimant, you do not need to notify HMRC again. Tell Us Once will notify them
Reporting Changes Concerning Your Child
Inform HMRC if your child is:
- is aged 16 to 20 and has completed his or her education or training
- is 16 or older and begins working more than 24 hours per week
- beginning to receive income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Universal Credit, tax credits, Income Support, or Employment and Support Allowance
- gets married or enters into a civil partnership
- dies or disappears
You will no longer be eligible for Child Benefit.
If your child moves out or reaches the age of 16, your Child Benefit may be affected.
Inform HMRC if your child:
- lives more than eight weeks away from you
- goes abroad for more than 12 weeks unless it is for a school education program or medical treatment
- relocates with their partner
- is imprisoned for more than 8 weeks
You will no longer be eligible for Child Benefit.
If your child is admitted to hospital or residential care for more than 12 weeks, you must notify HMRC. You may be able to keep receiving Child Benefit if you contribute to the child's needs, such as medicine, clothing, or food. To continue receiving Child Benefit, you must spend at least the Child Benefit amount on your child.
If your child relocates with your ex-partner
You must report this to HMRC over the phone, where you will be able to explain your situation and determine whether you can continue to receive Child Benefit.
If your ex-partner does not file a claim, you can continue receiving payments for another 8 weeks.
You may be able to continue receiving Child Benefit for a longer period of time if you give money to your ex-partner for the child and spend at least the Child Benefit amount on your child's needs each month. When you call HMRC, they will tell you.
Child Benefit Office - HMRC
Phone: 0300 200 3100
If you can't hear or speak on the phone, call Relay UK and type what you want to say: 18001 then 0300 200 3100.
Relay UK can be accessed via an app or a textphone. There is no additional cost to use it. On the Relay UK website, you can learn how to use Relay UK.
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
HMRC will send you a letter inquiring about your child's future plans for education or training. You must respond to this letter or your Child Benefit claim will be cancelled on August 31, following your child's 16th birthday.
If you do not receive a letter but wish to continue receiving Child Benefit, please contact HMRC.
If your child continues to attend school or training after their 16th birthday, you can continue to receive Child Benefit until they leave school - or until they reach the age of 20.
If your child has dropped out of school or training, you will continue to receive Child Benefit until the first of the following dates after their 16th birthday:
- the final day of February
- 31 May
- 31 August
- 30th of November
If your child's exams in summer 2021 are canceled due to coronavirus, he or she will still be enrolled in school until the end of the school year. This means you'll continue to receive Child Benefit until August 31.
If your child has joined the armed forces or a government-sponsored careers programme, you must apply to HMRC in writing within three months of the end of your child's education or training to continue receiving Child Benefit. You will then receive Child Benefit for 20 weeks following the completion of your child's education or training.
What constitutes education or training?
Your child is in education if they study for more than 12 hours per week on average. As an example:
- A-levels or Scottish Highers
- NVQ Levels 1–3
- National Diploma in BTEC
- a training program
- If they began home education before the age of 16,
They must have begun or enrolled in the course before the age of 19. Degree level, BTEC higher, and NVQ Level 4 courses do not qualify for Child Benefit.
If your child is on a training scheme and not being paid, they will be in training. They must have begun or enrolled in the course before the age of 19.
If your child's name changes, you must notify HMRC; this will not affect your Child Benefit payment.
Changes in yourself or your partner
If you marry, form a civil partnership, or move in with a partner, you must notify HMRC. These changes will have no effect on the amount of Child Benefit you receive.
Notify HMRC if you start receiving payments for child care from your local council or someone else. It is possible that you will no longer be eligible for Child Benefit.
There are additional rules regarding what happens to your Child Benefit if you or your partner earn more than £50,000, separate or divorce, change your living arrangements, or immigration status.
If you live with them, you must notify HMRC if your or your partner's annual income exceeds £50,000 before tax.
You will begin to pay a 'Child Benefit Tax Charge.' Whoever earns the most money will pay the tax charge, regardless of who claims it.
The higher the tax, the more you earn over £50,000. It is still worthwhile to claim if your annual income does not exceed £60,000.
If your income exceeds £60,000, the extra tax you pay will cancel out the Child Benefit you receive. You can choose to discontinue your claim so that you do not have to pay the tax; however, if one of you is not working or is only working part-time, it may be best to continue your claim.
On GOV.UK, you can find out how much your tax charge will be and how to pay it. UK
If one of you is unemployed or only works part-time,
If your partner earns more than £60,000 per year and you do not work or earn less than £113 per week, you should continue to claim Child Benefit. This way, you will accumulate National Insurance contributions that will count toward your state pension. It will also mean that your child will automatically receive a National Insurance number when they reach the age of 16.
You can request that HMRC keep the claim open but not pay you the benefit, thereby avoiding the tax charge.
If the claim is in the name of the worker, contact HMRC to cancel it and begin a new claim in the name of the non-worker.
You'll have to decide who will keep claiming - usually the person your child lives with the majority of the time.
If you want your ex-partner to claim in your place, contact HMRC to end your claim and instruct your ex-partner to file a new claim as soon as possible.
If you can't agree on who will make the claim,
You can file a claim and let HMRC decide who gets Child Benefit. There are complicated rules about who gets priority, but HMRC usually gives Child Benefit to the person with whom the child spends the most time.
You cannot challenge HMRC's decision. You can seek advice from your local Citizens Advice to ensure that you provide HMRC with all relevant information about your situation so that they can make the best decision possible.
You must inform HMRC if you:
- If you move, your Child Benefit payment will not be affected as long as the child remains with you.
- spend more than 8 weeks in prison
- go abroad for more than 8 weeks - you can notify them before you leave or within one month of your departure from the UK
You can continue to receive Child Benefit for the first 8 weeks you are away from the UK, as long as you continue to live in the UK and are not abroad for more than a year in total. If you're going abroad for medical treatment for yourself or your family, or if a family member has died abroad, you can keep receiving Child Benefit for the first 12 weeks.
If you leave the UK for more than a year, your Child Benefit will be terminated as of the date you leave.
You will not be able to receive Child Benefit if you have lost your right to claim benefits, also known as your 'right to reside'.
To continue receiving Child Benefit, you must demonstrate that you have either settled status or another right to reside.
Your right to reside is determined by factors such as your job, family, and personal situation. You can find out if you have the right to live in the United States.
If you are not a resident of the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, or Liechtenstein,
A change in your immigration status may have an impact on your Child Benefit.
If your partner is responsible for your child and is a UK citizen, has settled status, or has the right to reside in the UK, they may be able to claim instead.
Because this is a complicated subject, it is best to seek advice from your local Citizens Advice before reporting the change to HMRC.
Notifying a change in circumstances
It is usually preferable to report the change online at GOV.UK. UK This makes it simple to include all of the information while also saving money on postage. You must create an online account known as a Government Gateway account.
You will need your National Insurance number, Child Benefit number, and a mobile phone to open the account. HMRC will send you a text message with a code for security purposes; you must enter the code on GOV.UK. UK in order to set up an account and report the change
When you have finished reporting the change, HMRC will confirm receipt. Take a picture or screenshot of the confirmation screen in case you need to refer to it later.
If you are unable to report the change online, please contact us.
You can notify HMRC of the change in writing. At the top of the letter, clearly write 'change of circumstance.' Post the letter at the Post Office and request proof of postage - you may need to demonstrate when you posted it.
Please address the letter to:
Child Benefit Office, HM Revenue and Customs, PO Box 1, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE88 1AA
The United Kingdom
If you're approaching the one-month deadline, call the HMRC helpline. This is faster than writing a letter because HMRC will receive your change immediately.
Keep a record of the date and time you called. Also, write down the name of the person you spoke with and the HMRC office where they work, such as Birmingham or Belfast. You may require these details if you need to demonstrate that you reported the change.
Child Benefit Office - HMRC
Phone: 0300 200 3100
If you can't hear or speak on the phone, call Relay UK and type what you want to say: 18001 then 0300 200 3100.
Relay UK can be accessed via an app or a textphone. There is no additional cost to use it. On the Relay UK website, you can learn how to use Relay UK.
Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If the change occurred more than a month ago,
It is preferable to report a change late than not at all; however, this may indicate that you have been overpaid or underpaid. If you have been overpaid, you must repay HMRC some of the money.
Call HMRC as soon as possible. Make a note of the date and time you called in case you need to refer back to it later. If possible, follow up with a letter to confirm the change you reported. This will be useful if you need to demonstrate that you reported the change.
You can still report the change online at GOV.UK. If you are unable to contact the helpline in the UK, This is faster than writing a letter.
If you are unable to tell HMRC over the phone or online, you can still write to them. At the top of the letter, clearly write 'change of circumstance.' Request proof of postage from the Post Office; you may need to prove when you posted it.
If you are having difficulty reporting a change in circumstances, you can file a complaint with the Child Benefit Office via GOV.UK. UK
Determining how much you will receive after the change
HMRC will send you a letter informing you whether your Child Benefit has been discontinued or increased.
Examine the letter to ensure that HMRC has recorded the correct change of circumstance.
If you disagree with HMRC's decision, you can request that they reconsider, which is known as mandatory reconsideration.
If you haven't received a letter from HMRC within 30 days, contact them to ensure they've recorded your change of circumstances.
If you receive Housing Benefit
If your Child Benefit claim is terminated due to a change in circumstance, your Housing Benefit payments may be affected. For example, if your child has their own bedroom, your Housing Benefit may be reduced due to what is known as the 'bedroom tax.' You can find out how the bedroom tax affects your Housing Benefit.
You should notify your local council that your Child Benefit has ended so that your Housing Benefit claim can be updated.
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