HMRC issue one week warning for child benefit deadline

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has issued a one week warning for parents whose children are receiving their GCSE results this week.

If the parent is receiving Child Benefit payments for that child, they must tell HMRC if the 16-year-old is continuing into further education or training. Failing to do so will see Child Benefit payments stop on August 31.

This is because regular Child benefit rules state that Child Benefit payments stop at the end of the month after a child turns 16, however, claims can be extended if the child is going into approved education or training. Meanwhile, Child Benefit will continue to be paid for children who are studying full time or taking an unpaid approved training course which can include the following:

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Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: "Child Benefit can provide financial support to families, so make sure you don’t miss out if your teenager is still eligible. You can quickly and easily extend your claim online or via the HMRC app, just search ‘Child Benefit."

Parents can inform HMRC of any changes that may affect their Child Benefit claim by using their online service which requires a Government Gateway ID and password. If a parent doesn't have an account, they can register online - a National Insurance number or postcode and two forms of ID are needed for the registration.