Child Benefit claimants with teenagers have until August 31 to extend their claim (Image: Getty)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed the deadline for stopping £108.20 payments for some UK households claiming Child Benefit.
Claimants with a child aged between 16 and 19 are required to extend their Child Benefit claim if their teenager is planning on staying in certain types of education or training after completing their GCSEs or National 5s. HMRC sent out reminder letters to around 1.5 million affected households in May this year, but the tax office says parents don’t need to wait for this letter as its digital service for extending opened on April 1. As such, it means parents who already know their teenager’s plans can act now.
HMRC has confirmed that claimants have until August 31, 2026, to extend their Child Benefit or payments will automatically stop.
In the 2026/27 tax year, Child Benefit is worth £27.05 per week for the eldest or only child, and £17.90 for each additional child.
As the benefit is paid by HMRC every four weeks, it means claimants get at least £108.20 in each payment period, with those with more than one child getting an additional £71.60.
So those who miss the deadline to extend their claim will miss out on a minimum of £108.20 from HMRC from September onwards to help with childcare costs.
HMRC issued a reminder of the deadline in a post on X in June, stating: “Attention parents! Do you have a child aged 16-19?
“If you claim Child Benefit for them, you’ll need to let us know by 31 August if they’re staying in full-time education or approved training to keep receiving your payments. It only takes a few minutes via the HMRC app or online.”
Child Benefit can continue for teenagers studying full time in non-advanced education, or on unpaid approved training courses, and according to HMRC, 874,000 parents extended their Child Benefit claim last year, with more than half doing so online or through the HMRC app.
Failure to extend claims by August 31, either online via the HMRC website or through the HMRC app, will mean payments will automatically stop on this date, or after a child’s 16th birthday, unless parents confirm their teenager’s plans.
Parents only need to act if their teenager is starting a new course or qualifying training in September. Those already part way through a course previously notified to HMRC don’t need to do anything.
Claim extensions can be made on the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK. The letters sent out by HMRC also include a QR code linking directly to the digital service.
In cases where a Child Benefit claimant or their partner has an individual income of between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner may be liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC).
For claimants in the 2026/27 tax year, 1% of Child Benefit payments must be paid back to HMRC for every £200 earned above £60,000, while for households with higher earnings of £80,000 or more, all of the Child Benefit must be paid back to HMRC.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Child Benefit is a real financial boost for families, so if your teenager already knows they’re staying in education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, you don’t need to wait for our letter.