HMRC: Extend child benefit before 31 August deadline

Parents across the UK have less than two weeks to extend their Child Benefit claims if their 16 to 19-year-old is continuing in education or training.

The deadline of 31 August looms, and failing to update their claim will result in the automatic cessation of payments.

This week marks a critical period for hundreds of thousands of teenagers as they receive their GCSE results on Thursday, 22 August 2024.

Many of these young people will be making decisions about their future, with some opting to continue their education or enter approved training programmes.

For parents, this means that Child Benefit payments could continue, provided they take action now.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging parents to update their Child Benefit claims if their child is continuing in full-time education or participating in an approved training course

. The process is simple and can be completed online via GOV.UK or through the HMRC app, which has already been used by over 270,000 parents to extend their claims digitally.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, emphasised the importance of not missing this deadline: “Child Benefit is an important financial support for many households, and we don’t want to see any eligible family miss out. You can extend your claim quickly and easily online or via the HMRC app. Just search ‘Child Benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK.”

For those who have opted out of receiving Child Benefit due to the High Income Child Benefit Charge, it is still crucial to keep their claim details up to date. Parents who wish to resume receiving payments can do so easily online.

Child Benefit can provide significant financial support, with payments worth up to £1,331 annually for the first child and up to £881 for each additional child. Victoria Benson, CEO of Gingerbread, a charity supporting single-parent families, highlighted its value: “Child Benefit is valuable to families, and particularly single-parent families, who are forced to make ends meet on a single income. It’s really important, with the 31 August deadline fast approaching, that parents whose children are going into further education and training extend their claim as soon as possible to avoid missing out on this crucial financial help.”

Payments can continue for children enrolled in non-advanced education such as A levels, Scottish Highers, or certain vocational qualifications, as well as those in unpaid approved training programmes across the UK.

Parents can update or check the status of their claims at any time by logging into their account via the HMRC app or online. To do so, they will need a Government Gateway user ID and password, which can be easily set up using their National Insurance number, postcode, and two forms of ID.

As the 31 August deadline approaches, HMRC and support organisations are urging parents to act swiftly to avoid any disruption to their Child Benefit payments.