As the exam season gets underway for teens , parents of 16 to 19 year olds will receive reminders from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to extend their Child Benefit claim if their child is staying in education or training. If this is not done by 31 August, payments will automatically stop.
Child Benefit will automatically stop on 31 August on or after a child’s 16th birthday if it’s not extended. Between May and July, letters will be sent to parents reminding them to go online to confirm if their teenager is staying in full time education or approved training after they finish their GCSEs to continue receiving their Child Benefit.
Parents can extend their claim quickly and easily via the HMRC app or online on GOV.UK.
The letters also contain a handy QR code which takes parents straight to the digital service on GOV.UK.
If either the claimant or their partner has an individual income of between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner will be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. For families who fall into this category, the online Child Benefit tax calculator provides an estimate of how much benefit they will receive, and what the charge may be.
From this summer, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, families will have the option to use a new digital service to pay the charge directly through their PAYE tax code instead of filing a Self Assessment tax return. The new service will cut red tape for eligible employed parents who are liable to the High Income Child Benefit Charge but those who choose to pay the charge through their Self Assessment can continue to do so.
Families who have previously opted out of Child Benefit payments can opt back in and restart their payments quickly and easily online or via the HMRC app.
