- Child Benefit - which changes you need to report
- How changes can affect your Child Benefit payments
- How to change your bank account details for Child Benefit payments
- Child Benefit if your child dies
- Child Benefit if one or both parents die
How to change your bank account details for Child Benefit payments
The Child Benefit Office usually pay Child Benefit into your bank or building society account. Tell them as soon as possible if you want to change the account your Child Benefit goes into, otherwise your payments may be delayed.
On this page:
- What you need to check before you change your account details
- Changing your account details online
- Other ways to change your account details
- More useful links
What you need to check before you change your account details
Before you tell the Child Benefit Office about the change, make sure that the account is in any one of the following names:
- your own name
- your partner's name
- you and your partner's names
- the name of a person acting on your behalf
- both your own name and the name of a person acting on your behalf
There are some accounts that may not be suitable for your Child Benefit to be paid into, for example a Child Trust Fund Account or an ISA (Individual Savings Account).
How Child Benefit, tax credits and Guardian's Allowance are paid
Changing your account details online
One of the quickest and safest ways to tell the Child Benefit Office about account changes is to fill in an online form - do this by following the link below. Before filling in the form it's helpful to have your new account details, your Child Benefit number and National Insurance number if you have one. The Child Benefit Office will send an email confirming they've received your online form.
Let us know online if you want to change your bank or building society account details
Other ways to change your account details
You can also contact the Child Benefit Helpline on Tel 0845 302 1444 or Textphone 0845 302 1474. The helpline is open between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm, seven days a week, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
If your preferred language is Welsh you can call on Tel 0845 302 1489, and if you are telephoning from outside the UK you can call on Tel + 44 161 210 3086.
You can also write to:
Child Benefit Office
PO Box 1
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE88 1AA
When you contact them, you'll need to tell them your Child Benefit number.
The Child Benefit Office can reply in a special format if you ask them to, such as Braille, audio cassette or large print.
