Parents of teenagers aged 16 to 19 are being reminded to check whether they need to extend their Child Benefit claim, or risk payments stopping automatically once their child reaches 16. The reminder applies to families where young people are continuing in approved education or training after completing GCSEs or National 5s.
Child Benefit will automatically stop on August 31 on or after a child’s 16th birthday unless HMRC is told the teenager is remaining in eligible education or training. Around 1.5 million reminder letters are being issued from late April, with most expected to arrive in early May. However, parents do not need to wait for the letter. HMRC says its digital service is already open on GOV.UK and through the HMRC app, allowing families to act as soon as they know their teenager’s plans.
Parents only need to take action if their teenager is starting a new course or qualifying training in September. Those who are already partway through a course that has previously been notified to HMRC do not need to contact the department again.
Who qualifies for Child Benefit
The benefit can continue for 16 to 19-year-olds who remain in full-time non-advanced education, such as school or college, or who are on unpaid approved training courses. A full list of eligible courses is available on GOV.UK.
Full-time education is defined as more than an average of 12 hours a week of supervised study or course-related work experience. This can include home schooling. Children with an illness or disability may be able to do fewer hours if appropriate for their circumstances. However, Child Benefit cannot be claimed if a teenager’s course is part of a job contract. The Benefit is worth £27.05 a week (about £1,406.60 a year) for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claims, with more than half doing so online or via the HMRC app. Parents may also be affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) if either they or their partner earns between £60,000 and £80,000. HMRC says the charge can be paid through PAYE or Self Assessment and an online calculator is available to estimate any liability.
How to extend a claim
Parents can extend or manage their Child Benefit claim via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK. The service allows users to view payment information, access proof of entitlement and add children.
HMRC says QR codes included in reminder letters will always direct to the official GOV.UK or HMRC app pages. Anyone who receives suspicious messages containing QR codes is advised to report them to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s chief customer officer, said: "Child Benefit is a real financial boost for families, so if your teenager already knows they're staying in education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, you don't need to wait for our letter. You can extend your Child Benefit claim today in minutes via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK."
