People claiming Child Benefit must update claim next week or payments could stop before Christmas

Some parents and guardians must update their personal details on GOV.UK before an important deadline passes next week to ensure Child Benefit payments will continue in December. This will affect anyone with a child aged 16 who had been in further education or training, but has now left, and those who have reached that age, but are now continuing their full-time education.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) guidance on GOV.UK explains Child Benefit payments will continue until the first of four specific dates throughout the year is reached after their 16th birthday - the next one on the calendar is November 30. However, HMRC also advises: “If you fail to update your details in time, you may still be able to claim Child Benefit, but your payments might be late.”

The payment is made to people who are responsible for bringing up a child aged below 16 or a young person under 20, if they are still in full-time education or on certain approved training courses.

The weekly payment from HMRC is worth £24.00 for an eldest or only child and £15.90 for additional children. The benefit is paid every four weeks in arrears, either on a Monday or a Tuesday, and there is no limit to how many children a parent or guardian can claim for.

Reasons Child Benefit could end

If your Child Benefit payment amount changes and you’re not sure why, money experts at Income Tax have shared four possible reasons.

You did not update your details on time

Your Child Benefit will stop automatically on August 31 after the child turns 16, unless you let HMRC know your child is continuing in full-time education or training or they are joining the armed forces or a government-sponsored careers programme.

If your child stays in education or training but then decides to leave, you will continue to get Child Benefit until whichever date after their 16th birthday comes first:

• the last day in February - when full-time non-advanced education or approved training finishes in December, January or February
• May 31 - when full-time non-advanced education or approved training finishes in March, April or May
• August 31 - when the young person is in Scotland taking a ‘higher certificate’ or ‘advanced higher certificate’ and entered for exams that finish before the end of May
• November 30 - when full-time non-advanced education or approved training finishes in September, October or November

If you fail to update your details in time, you may still be able to claim Child Benefit, but your payments might be late.

Your circumstances have changed

You must inform HMRC of any changes to your circumstances as soon as possible, as this can affect how much Child Benefit you are entitled to and some changes could mean you get more money.

However, the following changes in circumstance may result in reduced or no Child Benefit:

• You or your partner starts earning more than £50,000: you will start paying a Child Benefit tax charge. If you earn more than £60,000, this tax will cancel out what you get in Child Benefit.
• You separate or divorce from your partner: only one of you will receive Child Benefit, which will usually be the person the child lives with.
• Your living arrangements have changed: moving house won’t affect your Child Benefit if the child still lives with you. If you go abroad, you will still get Child Benefit for the first eight weeks you are away (or 12 weeks if you are having medical treatment) as long as you still live in the UK and aren’t abroad for more than a year.
• Your immigration status has changed: if you are from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein and lose your ‘right to reside’, your Child Benefit will stop. If you are not from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Liechtenstein and your immigration status changes, your Child Benefit could be affected. However, your partner may still be able to claim.

Your child’s circumstances have changed

You must inform HMRC of any changes to your child’s circumstances.

The following instances might affect your entitlement to Child Benefit:

• Your child has turned 16 or 20 if they are in education or training
• Your child is aged 16 to 20 and leaves education or training
• Your child is over 16 and starts working more than 24 hours per week
• Your child gets married or forms a civil partnership
• Your child goes missing or dies
• Your child lives away from you for more than eight weeks in a row
• Your child moves in with their partner on a permanent basis
• Your child leaves the country for more than 12 weeks, unless it is part of school education or to get medical treatment
• Your child goes to prison for more than eight weeks

You have started receiving other benefits

Your Child Benefit might be reduced or be stopped altogether if you start receiving payments from your local council or someone else who is looking after the child. If you are receiving other benefits, you may receive less Child Benefit due to the benefit cap.

Full details about Child Benefit can be found on the GOV.UK website here.

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