Parents warned not to miss out on Child Benefit for over 16s

HM Revenue & Customs

Parents whose child is staying on in education after picking up their GCSE results are urged to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) so that Child Benefit doesn’t stop.

Teens taking approved courses are eligible for the benefit, worth up to £20.70 a week, but parents and guardians will only continue to receive it if they tell HMRC before 31 August 2019, when the payments automatically cease.

Angela MacDonald, Director General for Customer Services, HMRC said: “We're encouraging parents and guardians to meet the August deadline and notify us of their child’s plans after their GCSEs.

“Letting HMRC know will ensure that Child Benefit payments continue.”

Child Benefit provides £20.70 a week for the eldest or only child in a family and £13.70 a week for each additional child, up to the age of 19 for teens on approved courses or training.

Young people qualify if studying for A Levels, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate, NVQs and other vocational qualifications up to level 3. Training courses should be unpaid and can include Foundation Apprenticeships or traineeships in Wales, traineeships in England, Employability Fund programmes in Scotland and Training for Success in Northern Ireland.

You can tell HMRC by using or creating an online Personal Tax Account:

• www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account

Parents and guardians should note that if they or their live-in partner has an individual income of over £50,000, they may have to pay a tax charge, known as the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge’.