Changes To Child Benefit
Be aware that Child Benefit eligibility criteria will be changing in 2 stages over the next few years:
From April 2024, the High Income Child Benefit Charge threshold will increase to £60,000 (up from £50,000 previously).
The charge is tapered so if you, or your partner, earn between £60,000 and £80,000 it may still be worth your while financially to claim.
For instance, you’ll be charged 1% of your Child Benefit for every £200 of income that exceeds £60,000. If your income exceeds £80,000, the charge is equal to the amount of the Child Benefit payment.
Eligibility will once again change in April 2026 from an individual assessment to a household assessment.
Good to know
· You can claim Child Benefit 48 hours after you’ve registered the birth of your child, or once a child comes to live with you.
· Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months.
· Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child, so you need to decide whether it’s better for you or the other parent to claim.
· The person who claims will get National Insurance credits towards their state pension if they’re not working.
How To Apply
Before you start your claim, you’ll need:
· your child’s birth or adoption certificate.
· your bank or building society details.
· your National Insurance numbers.
· your partner’s National Insurance number if you have one.
The online claim form can be found at https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim or phone 0300 200 3100. This information has been tailored from one of our trusted resources, the government website www.gov.uk
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