Child Benefit
KEY FEATURES
- Tax free
- Payable to most parents/persons responsible for child until that child is at least 16 years old
- £24.00pw for the first child
- £15.90pw for all other children (no limit)
- Normally paid every 4 weeks (sometimes weekly for single parents)
- Can be backdated up to 3 months
Who can claim Child Benefit?
Child Benefit is paid to the person/people responsible for a child. Your income, savings and whether or not you have paid National Insurance contributions do not matter, but you must normally have the right to reside in the UK, be living in the UK and have been living in the UK for at least three months.
Registering your Child’s Birth
It is a legal requirement to register the birth of your child within 42 days of birth. This can be done at any register office in the UK but should ideally be done at the office local to where your child is born.
In Telford the registry office is in Wellington and operates on an appointment only basis. Their address is Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre, Tan Bank, Wellington, TF1 1LX.
You can view more information about registering a birth and how to book an appointment here.
After you have registered your child’s birth you can then claim Child Benefit.
High income Child Benefit charge
Child Benefit will be clawed back if one or more parent is earning £50,000 to £60,000. You will need to make a self-assessment tax return if you or your partner is receiving child benefit and at least one of you has earnings over £50,000. You can elect to stop receiving child benefit if you are a high earner. See here for more details.
Can both parents claim Child Benefit?
How do I claim Child Benefit?
You will need to include an original birth certificate with your claim form; this will be returned to you. If you are not able to register your baby’s birth, you can still claim Child Benefit.
Child Benefit can be backdated for up to three months. This means that if you claim more than three months after your baby’s birth you could lose out on some benefit. See our Baby Steps Date Tracker [here].
Child Benefit is usually paid every four weeks, but you can ask for a weekly payment if you are a lone parent or receiving benefits such as income support.
Child Benefit can also help to protect your State Retirement Pension record if you are not working, or you are working and not earning enough to pay national insurance. For more information go to: www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits
For more information about claiming Child Benefit, click here or get in touch.