Child Benefit is a payment that is made in respect of a child or qualifying young person.
Am I eligible for Child Benefit?
You can get child benefit if you are responsible for a child or qualifying young person, as below. You do not have to be the parent or stay at home with the child to be eligible for Child Benefit. The person you are responsible for must satisfy one of the following conditions:
- Is under 16 years old
- Is 16 – 17 years old and has left education or approved training and meets the child benefit extension period.
- Is 16 – 20 years old and is on (or enrolled on) a full time non advanced education or approved training course (the young person would have had to have started or enrolled on the course prior to their 19th birthday).
How much Child Benefit will I get?
Child benefit is paid at £24.00 a week for the first qualifying child or young person. For each other child or qualifying young person £15.90 a week will be paid.
If you are in receipt of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, and have been receiving this since before 06 April 2004 and continue to receive support for your child through it, Child Benefit will affect the amount of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance you receive.
If you or your partner have an individual income of over £50,000 per annum or more and you receive child benefit, your child benefit will be reduced through an income tax charge. The person with the higher income is liable for the charge regardless of who receives the child benefit.
Benefit Cap
Child Benefit is included in the list of benefits to which the benefit cap applies. The benefit cap limits the total weekly benefit that can be claimed.
How do I claim?
You can claim Child Benefit as soon as you've registered the birth of your child, or they come to live with you.
It can take up to 12 weeks to process a new Child Benefit claim (or longer if you're new to the UK). Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months.
You will be asked to send the birth certificate or adoption certificate with the form.
Download the Child Benefit form