Parents have less than a fortnight to inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that their 16 to 19 year old is continuing education or training, otherwise their Child Benefit payments will cease. This week, hundreds of thousands of teenagers will be deciding on their future as they receive their GCSE results on Thursday, August 22.
For parents of 16 to 19 year olds who haven’t yet extended their claim, Child Benefit payments will stop after August 31. If their child is going to continue in approved education or training, parents can continue receiving Child Benefit and HMRC is urging them to extend their claim now.
To ensure they don’t miss out, parents can swiftly and easily extend their Child Benefit claim online on GOV. UK or via the HMRC app.
Over 270,000 parents have extended their claim digitally so far, with the changes applied to their records without the need to wait on the phone.
Parents should keep their claim details up to date, even if they’ve opted not to receive Child Benefit payments due to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Parents who want to opt back into receiving Child Benefit payments, can do this quickly and easily online on GOV, reports Lancs Live.
UK or in the HMRC app. Child Benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for the first or only child, and up to £881 a year for every additional child.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC‘s Director General for Customer Services, remarked: “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.”
Gingerbread CEO Victoria Benson commented: “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.”
Claiming child benefit
Parents should note that Child Benefit can continue to be paid for children engaged in full-time non-advanced education:
- A-levels or Scottish Highers
- International Baccalaureate
- home education – if it started before their child turned 16, or after 16 if they have a statement of special educational needs and it was assessed by the local authority
- T levels
- NVQs, up to level 3.
Furthermore, Child Benefit will also continue for those undertaking one of these unpaid approved training courses:
- in Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme
- in Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work
- in Scotland: the No One Left Behind programme.
Should there be any change in a child’s educational or training status, such as a decision to discontinue further education, parents must update HMRC promptly. This can be done online or through the HMRC app, ensuring payment adjustments are made accurately.
The current status of claims can be assessed by parents anytime by checking proof of entitlement either on the HMRC app or online.
Parents will require a Government Gateway user ID and password to utilise HMRC‘s online services. If they haven’t got one yet, they can sign up on GOV. UK using their National Insurance number or postcode along with two forms of identification.
