HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will stop Child Benefit payments of up to £1,406.60 per year from September 1 for households that miss the August 31 deadline to extend claims. Parents of 16 to 19-year-olds must confirm if their teenager is staying in certain types of education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, or payments will automatically cease.
Payment amounts and eligibility
Child Benefit is currently worth £27.05 per week for the eldest or only child, providing up to £1,406.60 annually. Larger families receive £17.90 per week (or £930.80 annually) for each additional child, with no limit on the number of children claimed for, subject to the Benefit Cap.
HMRC has sent around 1.5 million reminder letters to households and opened its digital service for extensions on April 1. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claims, with more than half doing so online or via the HMRC app.
Deadline and how to extend
Claims must be extended by August 31, either online via the HMRC website or through the HMRC app. Failure to do so means payments will stop automatically on that date, or after a child's 16th birthday, unless plans are confirmed.
Parents only need to act if their teenager is starting a new course or qualifying training in September. Those already partway through a previously notified course don't need to do anything.
HMRC reminder and tax implications
On August 4, HMRC issued a reminder on X, stating: "Has your child recently received their #SQA results? If they’re staying in education or training next year, you’ll need to update your Child Benefit claim on the HMRC app or online by 31 August. Don’t miss out on up to £1,406 a year."
For claimants with an individual income between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner may be liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). In the 2026/27 tax year, 1% of Child Benefit must be repaid for every £200 earned above £60,000, and all of it must be repaid if earnings are £80,000 or more.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said previously: “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.”
