HomeUpdatesBenefitsExtend Your Teen’s Child Benefit Before the 31 August Deadline

Extend Your Teen’s Child Benefit Before the 31 August Deadline

Extend Your Teen’s Child Benefit Before the 31 August Deadline

Less than two weeks remain for parents to notify HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that their 16–19-year-old is pursuing further education or training, failing which Child Benefit payments would be discontinued.

This week, when they receive their GCSE results on Thursday, hundreds of thousands of youngsters will make decisions about their future (22 August 2024).

Child Benefit payments to parents of 16–19-year-old children who haven’t yet extended their claim will cease on August 31. Parents can continue to receive Child Benefit if their child continues in approved school or training, and HMRC is advising them to do so right away.

Parents can swiftly and simply extend their Child Benefit claim online on GOV.UK or using the HMRC app to make sure they don’t miss out. Thus far, more than 270,000 parents have extended their claim digitally, and the modifications are reflected in their record without requiring them to wait on hold.

Even if they have chosen not to receive Child Benefit payments because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge, parents should maintain the most recent version of their claim information. Regaining access to Child Benefit payments is a simple and quick process that parents may do online via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

For the first or only child, Child Benefit is valued up to £1,331 annually, and for each additional child, it is worth up to £881.

Director General for Customer Services at HMRC, Myrtle Lloyd, stated: “We don’t want any eligible family to miss out on Child Benefit, which is an important source of financial support for many households.” When your child turns 16, you can easily and swiftly extend your claim online or using the HMRC app by searching for “Child Benefit” on GOV.UK.

The CEO of Gingerbread, a nonprofit that supports families with lone parents, Victoria Benson, stated:

Child Benefit is helpful for families, especially those with a single parent who must rely only on their income. It is imperative that parents whose children are pursuing further education and training renew their claim as soon as possible to ensure they do not lose out on this vital financial assistance, as the deadline of August 31 draws near.

Children enrolled full-time in non-advanced education programs, such as the following, are still eligible to receive Child Benefit payments:

  • Highers in Scotland or A levels
  • Baccalaureate International
  • Home schooling, whether it began before the kid turned 16 or after the age of 16 if the local authority evaluated their special education needs and issued a statement.
  • NVQs, up to level 3;
  • T levels

Additionally, Child Benefit will be available to kids enrolled in following approved, unpaid training courses:

  • in Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work;
  • in Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ initiative;
  • in Scotland: the No One Left Behind program.

Parents can easily notify HMRC online or through the HMRC app if their kid decides against continuing their education or training, and payments will be modified accordingly. By accessing their evidence of entitlement through the app or internet, parents can monitor the progress of their claims at any time.

Using HMRC’s online services will need parents to have a Government Gateway user ID and password. They only need their postcode or National Insurance number, together with two forms of identification, to register on GOV.UK if they don’t already have one.

More details

Between May and July of this year, 1.5 million parents received letters from HMRC reminding them to extend by August 31. Thus far, almost 522,000 parents have expanded their claim. Parents can still extend their Child Benefit by phone or by mail if they are unable to do so using the HMRC app or online.
Additional details regarding the Child Benefit available to those aged 16-19.
If a child is enrolled in a course that is required for employment, parents are not eligible to receive Child Benefit.

On the HMRC app or online, parents may quickly and simply view and manage their claim. This entails adding more children and updating their information, as well as examining payment data and evidence of their claim, all without having to contact HMRC.