HMRC is urging millions of parents to act now that GCSE results have been released, as their children’s next plans could decide whether they lose over £1,000 in Government support. Child Benefit usually automatically stops on August 31 after the child has turned 16, but parents may be able to extend their claim until their child turns 20 if they are in education or training that meets the UK Government’s criteria.
Deadline and eligibility
Parents only have until the August 31 deadline to inform HMRC if they qualify for an extension or risk having their payments stopped. The child must be in their course or training full time to qualify. The Government considers ‘full time’ as more than an average of 12 hours a week of supervised study or course-related work experience.
Teenagers with illnesses or disabilities may be allowed to do fewer hours and still qualify if it’s appropriate for them. More than 372,000 parents have already extended their Child Benefit payment digitally ahead of the deadline.
How to extend and what qualifies
Parents can extend their claim on the HMRC app, through Gov.uk, or if they received a letter from HMRC about their Child Benefit ending, they can scan the QR code included in this to be taken straight to the digital service. If your child leaves their course before completing it, you’ll need to inform HMRC to avoid getting overpayments that will need to be paid back to the Government. But if your child just takes a temporary break from the course, you might still be able to receive Child Benefit by contacting HMRC.
Approved training or education that can extend a Child Benefit claim includes: A levels or similar, for example International Baccalaureate, T levels, GCSEs, Scottish Highers, NVQs and most vocational qualifications up to level 3, home education, study programmes in England, and a pre-apprenticeship. Education and training won’t be eligible for Child Benefit: university degree, BTEC Higher National Certificate, pre-degree course - for example a foundation diploma or access to higher education course, Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) level 7, and Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE).
HMRC’s message
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Exam results season is a big moment for teenagers deciding their next steps, and it’s the perfect time for parents to confirm those plans with us. Child Benefit is a vital source of support for many families and we don’t want anyone to miss out. It only takes a few minutes using the HMRC app or GOV.UK, so make sure you’re receiving the payments you’re entitled to.”
