Families have just HOURS to make key benefit move – or lose out on £1,354 a year

PARENTS have until tomorrow to update their details or risk seeing their Child Benefit payments stopped.

If you have a child aged 16 to 19 and they are continuing in approved education or training, you must extend your Child Benefit claim by tomorrow, 31 August.

If you don’t, your payments will automatically stop.

Child Benefit is paid to most parents and can boost household income by over £1,300 a year per child.

Currently, you get:

• £26.05 a week for your eldest or only child (£1,354.60 a year)
• £17.25 a week for each additional child (£897 a year each)

Failing to update your claim could mean losing thousands of pounds over the next two years if your child remains in full-time education.

Who needs to act?

If your child has just turned 16 and is:

• Staying on in full-time education (more than 12 hours of supervised study/work a week) such as A Levels, T Levels, NVQs up to Level 3, Scottish Highers, or the International Baccalaureate.
• Starting approved training, such as traineeships in England, Foundation Apprenticeships in Wales, No One Left Behind in Scotland, or Skills for Life and Work in Northern Ireland.
• Being home-educated, as long as it started before they turned 16, or later if they have special needs.

You must let HMRC know to keep your payments.

Some families can also apply for a child benefit extension when their children’s education or training comes to an end.

You could get Child Benefit for 20 weeks if your child leaves approved education or training and either:

• Registers with their local careers service, Connexions (or a similar organisation in Northern Ireland, the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein)
• Signs up to join the armed forces

Households can apply for the extension at Gov.UK or by calling HMRC on 0300 200 3100.

If your child leaves education or training, you may still get Child Benefit for up to 20 weeks if they register with a local careers service or Jobcentre Plus.

They would also qualify if they are signed up to join the Armed Forces.

Parents can update details online at Gov.UK or by calling the HMRC Child Benefit helpline on 0300 200 3100.

Lines are open 8am–6pm, Monday to Friday.

What is child benefit and who is eligible?

Child Benefit is paid to parents to help with the costs of childcare.

You’ll usually get paid every four weeks.

By claiming child benefit you also get National Insurance credits that count towards your state pension.

You normally qualify for child benefit if you live in the UK and are responsible for a child under 16.

However you can also claim the support for a child under 20 if they are in approved education or training.

When two or more people share the responsibility of caring for a child, it can only be claimed by one person.

You’re considered responsible for a child if you live with them or you are paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit towards looking after them.

You should bear in mind, eligibility changes if a child goes into hospital or care and if your child starts to live with someone else.

Usually, you get Child Benefit for eight weeks after your child goes to live with a friend or relative – as long as they don’t make a claim.

But it can continue for longer if you make contributions to your child’s upkeep.

Foster parents can also claim child benefit, as long as the council is not paying anything towards their accommodation or maintenance.

Legal guardians or parents adopting a child can also apply for the benefit, but the child has to be living with them.