Report a change of circumstances online for Child Benefit or Guardian's Allowance

You can report a number of changes online that may affect your Child Benefit. You need to report each change separately.

Make sure you use the correct form below for the specific changes you want to report. If there isn't a specific form for your change, you can use the general enquiry form in the section below 'Reporting other changes of circumstances'.

Information to get together before you start

You won't be able to save any information that you type into the online form, so have the following information handy:

  • the date of the change and any relevant facts you want to report
  • your full name
  • your email address
  • your full postal address including postcode
  • your date of birth
  • your National Insurance number
  • the full name and date of birth of any children you receive Child Benefit for

This is important as it helps the Child Benefit Office to confirm your identity. They have a duty of care to protect you and will not reply where they think that confidentiality may be breached. If you don't have your National Insurance number, you can still send in an online query.

Security of your information

By emailing from the HM Revenue & Customs website your email is more secure. But the reply won't be so it will not include confidential information. The Child Benefit Office will email you if necessary to explain that they will be replying fully by letter or phone.

You've changed your address

Report a change of address online

You've changed the account your Child Benefit is paid into

Find out what you need to do if you have changed the account your Child Benefit is paid into by following the link below.

Report that you have changed your bank or building society account details

You're leaving the United Kingdom (UK) to go abroad

If you or your child are about to leave the UK for a period of more than eight weeks, you must tell the Child Benefit Office as soon as possible. You need to let them know as soon as you can before you go to prevent any overpayments occurring.

There are different online forms to use, depending on whether you're going abroad:

  • temporarily - for more than eight weeks
  • permanently, this means you're likely to be away for more than 52 weeks
  • to take up a posting as a Crown servant - for example, you're a UK civil servant or member of HM Armed Forces posted abroad

Find out how to tell the Child Benefit Office online by following the link below.

Child Benefit if you're living or working abroad

Your child is staying on in full-time education or approved training

Your child is staying on in full-time education or approved training

Your child has left full-time education or approved training

If any of the following apply to your child, use the link immediately below:

  • they have started paid work of 24 hours or more a week
  • they have started training that isn't approved, or is paid for by an employer
  • they get benefits in their own right - like Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance or tax credits

Report that your child has left full-time education or approved training

If your child is under 18 and has registered for work, training or full-time education

You may need to use a different online form if your child is under 18 and you still want to get Child Benefit for them. Find out what you need to do by following the link below.

Find out more about Child Benefit for under 18s who leave education or training

Your child no longer lives with you

You can find out what you need to report if your child no longer lives with you by following the link below.

Child Benefit if your child lives with someone else

If you want to report online that your child no longer lives with you, tell the Child Benefit Office clearly using the form below.

Report that your child no longer lives with you

Changes to do with marriage, civil partnerships or living with someone

Report being married, forming a civil partnership, or starting to live with someone as if you were married or civil partners

You've changed your name

Report your name change

Your child has died

You can report online that your child has died. Please remember to tell the Child Benefit Office the date of death when you complete the form.

Report the death of a child

Reporting other changes of circumstances

If there's no specific online form for your change of circumstances, use the general enquiry form to tell the Child Benefit Office about the changes you want to report. Remember to include the date of the change and any other relevant facts.

Report other changes that may affect your Child Benefit

You're a social worker - report that a child is being looked after

Social workers should use the form below to let the Child Benefit Office know that a child is being looked after for more than eight weeks.

Report that a child is being looked after by a local authority or Care Trust for eight weeks or more

More useful links

Child Benefit - which changes you need to report

More about Child Benefit if your child is 16 or over

Child Benefit and further education or training

How Child Benefit, tax credits and Guardian's Allowance are paid