Child Benefit payments will stop for some parents this summer if they don't contact HMRC

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is set to send out reminder letters to parents next month, advising them to extend their Child Benefit for their teenage children if they are staying in education or training. Last year in May, over 1.4 million Child Benefit reconfirmation letters were sent out across the UK to parents between May 24 and July 17.

This year's letters will include a QR code that, when scanned, will direct them straight to GOV.UK to update their claim quickly and easily online. The guidance notes that payments will automatically cease on August 31 on or after the child has turned 16 unless parents renew their claim where their child is continuing in education.



If their 16-19-year-old plans to continue in approved education or training, parents can use the online service on GOV.UK or the HMRC app to ensure they don't miss out. Child Benefit can still be paid for children who are studying full time in approved non-advanced education, which includes: Child Benefit will also continue for children studying on one of these unpaid approved training courses: If a child changes their mind about further education or training, parents can simply inform HMRC online or in the app and payments will be adjusted accordingly.

How much is Child Benefit? Child Benefit is currently worth £26.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.25 for every additional child.

If a family splits up, you get £26.05 a week for the eldest child. If you have 2 children and one lives with you and the other lives with someone else (for example, your ex-partner), you’ll each get £26.

05 a week. If you both claim for the same child, only one of you will get Child Benefit for them. If you’re entitled to Child Benefit for any other children, you’ll get £17.

25 for each child. If you move in with a partner who also claims Child Benefit, you get £26.05 for the eldest child in the household.

You get £17.25 for any younger children. You and your partner can claim for different children.

If you live together, you cannot both claim at the higher rate - you may have to pay back some of the money if you do. How to keep claiming child benefit HMRC has previously advised that the fastest way to prevent payments from stopping is to update information online or via the official app, reports the Daily Record . Parents will require a Government Gateway user ID and password to access HMRC's online services.

If they don't already have one, they can register on GOV.UK using their National Insurance number or postcode, along with two forms of ID. You can inform HMRC that your child is staying in approved education or leaving approved education here.

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