Who Can Claim Child Benefit?

Child benefit is a government-provided payment to those responsible for children. It’s an essential part of the UK’s support network for families and can significantly contribute to the costs of raising a child.

In this article, you will learn:

Why it’s vital to know about child benefit claims
How to determine if you’re eligible for child benefit
The process of claiming child benefit in the UK
The role your income plays in claiming child benefit
The steps you can take after reading this article

Who Can Claim Child Benefit?

Child benefit can be claimed by anyone responsible for a child under 16 or 20 if they are in approved education or training. This applies to both parents and guardians. Even foster parents can make a claim, provided they meet certain conditions.

It’s important to note that while child benefit is available to all, it might be subjected to a tax charge if your income exceeds £50,000. This is known as the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge‘.

Remember, claiming child benefit isn’t just about the extra money. It can also help you get National Insurance credits that count towards your State Pension.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that you don’t have to be the child’s parent to claim child benefit. Any person considered responsible for the child can make a claim.

Eligibility Criteria for Child Benefit

The eligibility for child benefit is relatively straightforward. You can get child benefit if you’re responsible for one or more children under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training).

Typically, you receive money for each child that qualifies, and Child Benefit payments are tax-free as long as neither parent earns more than £50,000 a year.

Even if you or your partner’s income exceeds the threshold, claiming child benefit might still be beneficial as it can help protect your State Pension.

There are specific criteria for those who are fostering a child, have a child living with them, or are supporting a child financially. The Child Benefit Office can provide more details on these specifics.

How to Claim Child Benefit in the UK

Claiming child benefit in the UK is a relatively simple process. You can claim once the birth is registered or the child comes to live with you.

You claim by filling in a claim form CH2 and sending it to the Child Benefit Office along with your child’s original birth or adoption certificate.

It can take up to 12 weeks to process a new Child Benefit claim (or longer if you’re new to the UK). Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months.

Remember, only one person can get Child Benefit. So, it’s important to decide as a family who should claim.

Impact of Income on Child Benefit Claims

The impact of income on child benefit claims is crucial. If you or your partner have an income of more than £50,000 a year, you will be taxed on the child benefit you receive.

This tax, known as the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge, effectively reduces the child benefit you get the more you earn over £50,000. If your income is over £60,000, the tax charge equals the total amount of Child Benefit you receive, wiping out the value of the payments.

However, it’s still worthwhile to claim child benefits even if you choose not to receive the payments, as it can help protect your State Pension and ensure your child is automatically issued with a National Insurance number before their 16th birthday.

Understanding the impact of income on child benefit claims can help you make informed decisions about your family’s finances. It can also prepare you for any tax charges from claiming child benefit.

Evaluating Child Benefit: Pros and Cons

When considering who can claim child benefit in the UK, weighing the advantages and disadvantages is essential. This financial support is designed to help with the costs of raising a child. Below, we’ll explore the pros and cons to give a balanced view of child benefit.

Advantages of Child Benefit

1) Financial Support for Families

Child benefit provides a monthly payment to families, helping cover the basic costs of raising a child. This financial support can contribute towards clothing, food, and other necessary expenses.
This benefit is essential for many families and can make a significant difference in maintaining a child’s well-being and comfort, especially in lower-income households.

2) Access to Other Forms of Support

Claiming child benefit can often be a gateway to accessing additional support, such as Universal Credit or housing benefit. This can be particularly beneficial for families who require extra financial assistance.
Moreover, when you claim child benefit, you may also be eligible for other support like free school meals or help with childcare costs, making it a key component of the social security system.

3) Protection of State Pension Rights

National insurance credits with child benefit claims can help protect your State Pension. This is particularly advantageous for a parent or guardian not working and therefore not making National Insurance contributions.
These credits are crucial for safeguarding future pension entitlements, ensuring that taking time out of work to raise a child does not negatively impact your pension.

4) Health and Educational Benefits

Child benefit can help ensure children access necessary health services and educational materials. Children’s health and educational needs can be better met by easing the financial burden on families.
Additionally, the Scottish child payment and other targeted benefits can provide further assistance, enhancing the quality of life and opportunities for children in Scotland.

5) Ease of Claiming and Continuity

The process to claim child benefit is relatively straightforward, involving completing a child benefit claim form and providing a birth or adoption certificate. This simplicity encourages all eligible individuals to claim.
Once a claim is established, child benefit payments are made consistently, providing a dependable source of income for families to plan around.

Disadvantages of Child Benefit

1) Income-Based Limitations

If your income is over £50,000, the High Income Child Benefit Charge applies, which can reduce or even eliminate the financial benefit received. This can complicate financial planning for higher earners.
The charge requires filing a tax return and potentially paying extra tax, which can be seen as a disadvantage by those affected, as it reduces the net benefit of the scheme.

2) Impact on Working Tax Credit and Universal Credit

Receiving child benefit can affect the amount of money you receive from other benefits like working tax credit and Universal Credit. Understanding how these interactions work to avoid unexpected financial shortfalls is essential.
Families must report their child benefit to the Tax Credit Office to ensure their payments are adjusted accordingly, which can be an additional administrative task.

3) Potential for Overpayment and Debt

There is a risk of being overpaid for child benefit if circumstances change and the Child Benefit Office is not informed promptly. Overpayments must be paid back, which can lead to unexpected debts.
It is necessary for claimants to keep the Child Benefit Office updated with accurate information to avoid these issues, which can be burdensome for some.

4) Exclusion of Some Young People

Child benefit is only available for young people in approved education or training, which may exclude those who choose alternative paths. This can disadvantage families supporting children in apprenticeships or other non-qualified programs.
Specific criteria must be met for a young person to continue receiving child benefit beyond 16, which may not align with every family’s or young person’s plans or needs.

5) Complexity of the System

The child benefit system can be complex, especially when it intersects with other benefits and tax charges. Understanding how child benefit interacts with income support, pension credit, and other allowances can be challenging.
Families often have to seek advice from Citizens Advice or other services to navigate the system, which can be time-consuming and sometimes overwhelming, especially for those new to the process.

Child Benefit and Tax Credits

Child benefit and tax credits are significant forms of family benefit in the UK, providing financial aid to those responsible for children. Child tax credit is another type of benefit that families can claim, which can work alongside child benefit to provide additional support. The child element of tax credits is specifically aimed at helping with the costs associated with raising children.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) oversees the administration of child benefit payments and tax credits. Families may use the child benefit tax calculator provided by HMRC to understand how their income affects the amount of child benefit they can keep after the High Income Child Benefit Charge is applied.

The child benefit helpline is available for those who need assistance or advice about their claim. It’s a useful resource for getting support on issues like changes in family circumstances or understanding how child benefit payments work with other benefits.

Support During Pregnancy and Early Childhood

Support during pregnancy and early childhood is critical for families, and the UK government offers several benefits to help. The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help with the costs of having a new baby for families on certain benefits, such as income support or Universal Credit. This grant is available to help with expenses during pregnancy or the early months after the child’s birth.

Maternity allowance is another financial support for pregnant women who are self-employed or do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. Alongside these, the Best Start Grant is a package of three payments that help parents and carers on low incomes during the early years of a child’s life.

New parents should also ensure they have the correct birth certificate for their child, which is necessary for claiming child benefit and other family-related benefits. This documentation is crucial for accessing the financial support available during pregnancy and early childhood.

Additional Benefits for Children with Disabilities

Additional benefits for children with disabilities are available to families in the UK. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) benefits children under age 16 with conditions requiring extra care or mobility support. This allowance is designed to help with the extra costs of caring for a child who has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability.

The disability benefits system also includes the Child Disability Payment in Scotland, which helps with the additional costs of caring for a child with a disability or health condition. This support recognises the unique challenges families with children with medical conditions face.

Guardians Allowance may also be available to someone who is bringing up a child whose parents have died, or in some instances where one parent has died and the whereabouts of the other parent is unknown. This allowance provides extra financial help for child benefit payments and can be claimed by contacting the Child Benefit Office.

Child Benefit Real World Scenario

Here is a case study to help bring the topic of who can claim child benefit to life in a real-world context. This example should resonate with many, providing a clearer understanding of how individuals navigate the child benefit system in the UK.

Sarah, a single parent living in Manchester, recently lost her partner. With two children, the eldest 8 and the youngest just starting full-time education, she was unsure what financial support was available. Sarah had heard about child benefit payment but hadn’t considered other types of assistance she might be eligible for.

After her partner’s death, Sarah learned about the bereavement allowance, a payment she could receive for up to 52 weeks from the date of her partner’s death. This would help her manage immediate financial needs. However, she also needed to think about long-term support for her children.

Sarah was working part-time and was already receiving Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance. When she called the child benefit helpline, the advisor informed her that she was entitled to national insurance credit, which would help protect her state pension despite her reduced working hours.

The advisor also explained that because of her residency status under the EU Settlement Scheme, she could claim child benefit for both children. The monthly payments would greatly assist in covering daily expenses and the cost of uniforms and school trips for her children.

Her eldest child, who had a heart condition, was also eligible for a Disability Living Allowance. Sarah was unaware that she could apply for this additional support. She was guided through the process and was relieved that the extra funds would help cover some of the special care her child needed.

Sarah’s case highlights the various support layers available within the UK’s social security system. It shows the importance of inquiring and applying for all the benefits one might be eligible for to ensure the financial stability of families, especially those with a foster child or children under age requiring full-time education and care.

Key Takeaways and Learnings

This section will summarise the article by highlighting the crucial aspects of who can claim child benefit, along with the actions you should consider if navigating this aspect of the UK’s social support system.

Child benefit is available to anyone responsible for a child under 16 or 20 if they are in full-time education or approved training.
It’s essential to understand how your income can significantly affect your eligibility for child benefit if it exceeds £50,000 due to the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Claiming child benefits can lead to access to other forms of support, including Universal Credit and Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
Filling out the child benefit claim form accurately and providing necessary documentation, like a birth certificate, is essential for a smooth claiming process.
For families with disabled children or those who have lost a parent, additional support like Disability Living Allowance and Bereavement Allowance may be available.
Anyone receiving child benefit should keep the Child Benefit Office updated with any changes in circumstances to prevent overpayment and subsequent debts.

The article has provided a comprehensive overview of the child benefit system in the UK, highlighting who is eligible, how to claim, and the impact of income on the benefits received. It has also touched upon additional support for those caring for children with disabilities and the importance of understanding how child benefit interacts with other benefits.

By providing real-world examples, the article has illustrated the practical considerations and steps individuals like Sarah take to ensure their families receive the support they need. The case study also demonstrated the importance of staying informed about the various forms of assistance available to families, ensuring no opportunity for support is overlooked.

It is advised that anyone responsible for a child should review their eligibility for child benefit and related support. It is equally important to remain informed about changes in legislation or policy that may affect benefits. For further guidance or clarification, the child benefit helpline and other resources are available to assist.

FAQ

1. What Is Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Can It Affect My Child Benefit?

Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) benefits those unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours a week and looking for work. It is based on your income and savings, and you may be eligible if you pay National Insurance contributions. Receiving an Income-Based JSA can impact your child benefit by providing access to additional support, such as the Sure Start Maternity Grant or free school meals, which you might not have been eligible for solely based on child benefit.

However, the amount of child benefit you receive is not directly affected by claiming Income-Based JSA, as child benefit is not means-tested. Declining any Income-Based JSA to the Child Benefit Office is essential, as it may affect other related benefits and allowances.

2. Can I Claim Child Benefit for a Child Under Age 16 If I’m Not Their Parent?

Yes, you can claim child benefit for a child under age 16 even if you are not their parent, as long as you are responsible for the child. ‘Responsible’ means that the child lives with you, and you pay for their upkeep. This could include relatives, friends, or foster carers who may not be the biological parents but have taken on the role of a caregiver.

It’s essential to provide evidence of your responsibility for the child, such as a birth certificate or a formal agreement like a fostering arrangement. The Child Benefit Office will need this information to process your claim.

3. How Do I Claim Child Benefit If I’m Receiving Disability Benefits?

If you’re receiving disability benefits and are responsible for a child, you can still claim child benefit. Disability benefits do not affect your eligibility for child benefit, as the latter is paid at a universal rate to anyone responsible for a child under 16 or 20 if they continue in approved education or training.

When claiming child benefit, it’s crucial to fill out the child benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit Office along with the necessary documentation. Make sure to mention any disability benefits you receive, as this may entitle you to further help, like the Disability Living Allowance for children, which is separate from child benefit.

4. What Benefits Are Available for Children Under Age If a Parent Has Passed Away?

For children under age who have lost a parent, there are specific benefits available. The Bereavement Allowance, also known as Widowed Parent’s Allowance, is one such benefit for surviving parents who have at least one dependent child. This allowance provides financial support to the parent for up to 52 weeks after the death of their spouse or civil partner.

Additionally, Guardians’ Allowance may be claimed by someone who is bringing up a child because one or both parents have died. It’s a tax-free benefit paid on top of child benefit and aims to help with the costs associated with raising a child under such circumstances. It’s essential to contact the Child Benefit Office to apply for these benefits and to receive guidance on the process.