Child Benefit: UK contact number - parents must update 2024 HMRC claim or risk losing major benefit payment

• Parents must inform HMRC of an important change by 31 August
• Failure to do so could mean they’ll stop receiving Child Benefit
• With GCSE results out, many teenagers are making decisions about their future, affecting Child Benefit eligibility
• Child Benefit is up to £1,331 per year for the first or only child, and up to £881 per year for each additional child
• Child Benefit can continue for full-time non-advanced education, certain training programmes and specific courses
• Parents can extend their Child Benefit claim online via GOV.UK or the HMRC app

Parents have only a week to inform HMRC of an important change, or risk their Child Benefit payments being discontinued.

With GCSE results being released on 22 August, hundreds of thousands of teenagers will be making decisions about their future.

That means parents must inform HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if their 16-19 year-old plans continue into further education or training.

For parents of 16-19 year-olds who have not yet updated their claims, Child Benefit payments will end after Saturday 31 August.

Child Benefit amounts to up to £1,331 annually for the first or only child, and up to £881 per year for each additional child.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit is an important financial support for many households and we don’t want to see any eligible family miss out.”

So what can you do to ensure you continue to receive the benefits you deserve, and what forms of training and education can allow you to still receive Child Benefit? Here is everything you need to know about it...

Can I still get Child Benefit?

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for children who are studying full time in non-advanced education, which includes:

• 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

Child Benefit will also continue for children studying on 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.

Parents cannot claim Child Benefit if their child is taking a course that is part of a job contract.

What do I need to do?

If your child will be continuing in approved education or training, you can still receive Child Benefit by updating your claim with HMRC.

To avoid missing out, parents can easily extend their Child Benefit claim online through GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

To access HMRC’s online services, you’ll need a Government Gateway user ID and password. If you don’t have one, you can register on GOV.UK using your National Insurance number or postcode, along with two forms of ID.

According to HMRC, over 270,000 parents have already updated their claims digitally, with the changes applied to their records without needing to wait on the phone.

Parents who can’t extend their Child Benefit online or in the HMRC app can still do so by post or by phone.

Parents should ensure their claim details are up to date, even if they’ve chosen not to receive Child Benefit payments because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge..

Those wishing to resume receiving payments can do so easily and quickly online through GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

Victoria Benson, CEO of Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families, said: “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.”

What if my child changes their mind?

It can be an uncertain time for many teenagers, and if your child changes their mind about continuing education or training, you can easily update HMRC online or through the HMRC app, and payments will be adjusted accordingly.

Parents can also check the status of their claims at any time by viewing their proof of entitlement in the app or online.

If you have any questions about updating your Child Benefit claim or need help navigating the process, we’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts or ask for advice in the comments section.