Fri, 22 Aug 2025

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 Child benefit: What is it worth and who can claim it?

There is a limit to the amount you or your partner can earn before you start to lose child benefit.
Child Benefit Rules
* 6.9 million households currently receive child benefit
* You can claim child benefit if you're responsible for bringing up a child, with no limit on how many children you can claim for
* The money is usually paid every four weeks, but weekly payments are available to single parents or those receiving universal credit Leaving the UK
* Claimants must inform HMRC if they go abroad for more than 8 weeks, losing entitlement unless exceptional circumstances apply
* Medical treatment or family bereavement allow a longer period of up to 12 weeks without losing entitlement Pilot Project and Specialist Team
* A pilot project stopped child benefit being paid to 2,600 people who had left the UK, saving £17m
* A new specialist team will use international travel data to check claimants' eligibility, aiming to save £350m over five years High Income Child Benefit Charge
* Payments start to reduce if one earner earns £60,000, and stop entirely at £80,000
* Thresholds increased from £50,000 and £60,000 in the 2024 Spring Budget
* Households can choose to receive child benefit and pay tax due, or opt out of payments Claiming Child Benefit
* You can claim online, by post, or by phone within 48 hours of registering a birth, or as soon as a child comes to live with you
* Payments can be backdated for up to three months if claimed late
* Documents required for claiming include proof of identity and address National Insurance Credits
* Claiming child benefit for children under 12 automatically grants National Insurance credits, counting towards state pension
* Filling in the claim form even if not entitled to payments ensures NI credits and an automatic NI number for the child at age 16
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