About 1.5 million parents of 16 to 19-year-olds are to receive reminder letters in coming weeks, HMRC has announced. Child Benefit will automatically stop on August 31, unless parents confirm their teenager’s plans. The letters will be sent from late April, with most arriving in early May.
Parents will be reminded to extend their Child Benefit claim if their teenager is staying in certain types of education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s. Parents don’t need to wait for their letter. The HMRC digital service for extending opened in April, so those who already know their teenager’s plans can act today.
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.
You can extend your Child Benefit claim today in minutes via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK.” The letters also include a QR code linking directly to the digital service.
Child Benefit is worth £27.05 a week – or £1,406.60 a year – for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claim, with more than half doing so online or through the HMRC app.
Child Benefit can continue for teenagers 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:
- Scotland: Employability Fund programme and No One Left Behind
- Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme
- Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work
If 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. You can use the Child Benefit tax calculator for an estimate.
Parents can pay the charge through their PAYE tax code using the HICBC digital service, or through Self Assessment.