Child Benefit
You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training). Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
There are 2 Child Benefit rates.
- Eldest or only child: £20.70
- Additional children: £13.70 (per child)
Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks into your bank account on a Monday or Tuesday. It can be paid weekly if you’re a single parent or getting certain other benefits, eg Income Support.
You must contact the Child Benefit Office if you’re paid too much or too little or if you have any change of circumstances.
You may have to pay a tax charge if your or your partner’s individual income is over £50,000.
Who to contact
- Telephone
- 0300 200 3100 0300 200 3100
- Website
- Child Benefit on .Gov.UK
- Scan to visit this website
- Notes
HMRC can only discuss your claim with you or someone you have authorised as your representative.
Phone lines are less busy between 8am and 11am, Wednesday to Friday.
Where to go
- Postcode
- NE88 1AA
- View NE88 1AA on a map
Time / Date Details
- When is it on
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and Saturday, 8am to 4pm
Who is it for?
- Eligibility Details
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
You normally qualify for Child Benefit if you’re responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training) and you live in the UK.
You’ll usually be responsible for a child if you live with them or you’re paying towards looking after them.
Child Benefit continues for 20 weeks if 16 or 17 year olds leave education or training and register with the armed services or a government-sponsored careers service.
Eligibility rules are different if your child:
Availability
- Referral Details
Fill in a Child Benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit Office with your child’s original birth or adoption certificate.
Child Benefit Office (GB)
Washington
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE88 1ZDIt can take up to 12 weeks to process a new Child Benefit claim (or longer if you’re new to the UK).
- Claim Child Benefit as soon as your child is born or comes to live with you.
- Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months - make your claim as soon as possible.
If you don’t have the birth or adoption certificate, you should still send in your claim form - send the certificate later on when you’ve got it.
You don’t need the birth or adoption certificate if you’ve claimed Child Benefit before and are making a new claim for the same child.
- If you are Adopting apply for Child Benefit as soon as any child you’re adopting comes to live with you - you don’t have to wait until the adoption process is complete.
- If you are Fostering you’ll get Child Benefit if the local council isn’t paying anything towards the child’s accommodation or maintenance.
- If you live abroad you may be able to get Child Benefit if you go to live in certain countries or if you’re a Crown servant.
- If you have moved to the UK you may be able to get Child Benefit if your main home is in the UK and you have permission to live in the UK.
You could get Guardian’s Allowance if you’re bringing up someone else’s child because one or both parents have died. It’s paid on top of Child Benefit.
You may be able to manage someone else’s Child Benefit claim.
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