Child Benefit - Benefits

Child Benefit is a tax-free payment that you can claim for your child. You may be able to get Child Benefit if one of the following applies:

• Your child is under 16
• Your child is over 16 but under 20 and in education or training that qualifies for Child Benefit
• Your child is 16 or 17, has left education or training that qualifies for Child Benefit and is registered for work, education or training with an approved body

Only one claim for child benefit can be made per child. You can claim if you are responsible for a child even if you are not their parent.

You can also claim Child Benefit if the child does not live with you. However, this is only payable if:

• You pay towards the child's upkeep
• The amount you pay is at least equivalent to the rate of child benefit
• Another person is not claiming child benefit

Extend your child benefit claim for your teen

We know how important Child Benefit can be to families, so let HMRC know by 31 August if your teen intends to stay in approved education or training.

Extending your Child Benefit ensures you won't miss out on any payments from 31 August. However, if your child changes their mind about further education or training, you can simply let HMRC know online or in the app and we’ll update our records and adjust any payments as needed.

For parents who can’t extend their Child Benefit online, you can still do so by post or by phone.

If you require assistance, the Welfare Support Team provide free, impartial and confidential support to claim all benefits and entitlements. Contact us by emailing: welfare.support@highland.gov.ukor calling on 0800 090 1004

Helping your teens to claim their Child Trust Fund

If your child was born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, they may have a surprise windfall waiting for them!

Child Trust Funds (CTF) are long-term, tax-free saving accounts – worth an average of £2,000. If you didn’t open the account, HMRC may have opened one on behalf of your child.

If your teen is 16 or 17, they can take over responsibility for their CTF account. Once your child is 18, they can access and withdraw the money from their account.

If you don’t have details of their CTF account to share with them, they can ask HMRC who their CTF provider is by completing an online form. They’ll need your National Insurance number for this, which they can easily find in the HMRC app.

Find out more about Child Benefit.

Contact the Welfare support team for advice and support on:

Phone: 0800 090 1004

or

Contact the Child Benefit Office on:

Phone: 0300 200 3100
Textphone: 0300 200 3103