In this section:
- Child Benefit if your child is 16 or over
- Child Benefit if your child is in further education or training
- Child Benefit for under 18s who leave education or training
- Application form to extend Child Benefit
Child Benefit for under 18s who leave education or training
We can often extend your Child Benefit for up to 20 weeks if your child has left relevant education or training and they're still under 18. You'll need to let us know that you want to get your benefit extended. If you don’t then you may miss out.
Who qualifies for the extension?
You can get a Child Benefit extension if all of the following apply:
- your child has left relevant education or training
- your child is under 18
- your child works less than 24 hours a week
- you were entitled to Child Benefit for the child immediately before the start of the extension period
- you apply for the extension within three months of the end of the relevant education or training
- your child registers for work, education or training with an approved body, but they will need to do this within 20 weeks of leaving relevant education or training
Find out about Child Benefit and relevant further education and training
Approved bodies your child needs to be registered with
To qualify for a Child Benefit extension, your child needs to be registered for work, education or training with:
- the Careers Service or the Connexions Service
- the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) or an Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland
- the Ministry of Defence (MOD)
They can also be registered with a similar organisation in any European Union (EU) country.
How long does the extension last?
The extension normally lasts up to 20 weeks and starts on the first Monday after your child stops relevant education or training. The 20 week period would also overlap any period that you were entitled to Child Benefit for after your child’s 16th birthday.
Reasons why an extension might end early
The extension will end if your child does any of the following:
- turns 18
- starts paid work for 24 or more hours a week
- starts training that's not ‘relevant’ training to qualify for Child Benefit
- gets Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or tax credits in their own right
- starts advanced education
How to apply for an extension
To apply for this extension you'll need to fill in form CH299. You'll need to send the form to us within three months of the date your child finishes relevant education or training to get the extension.
Get a form CH299 to apply for an extension of Child Benefit
If your child stops working or getting benefits
We may have already stopped your Child Benefit because your child:
- started working full time
- was getting benefits in their own right
Your child may then have changed their mind and decided they want to stop working or come off benefits. If this happened before the end of the 20 week extension period let us know. This is because you may be able to reclaim Child Benefit for them up to the end of the extension period.
Let us know if you want to reclaim Child Benefit
If your child goes back into relevant education or training
You can make another claim for Child Benefit if your child is under 19 and goes back into relevant education or training.
Read about Child Benefit if your child is in further education or training
Keeping the Child Benefit Office up to date
You must tell us about any changes to your child's circumstances as soon as possible. If you don't, your Child Benefit payments may stop or we may overpay you.
You must tell us if your child starts:
- a paid job for 24 hours or more a week
- a training course that is not approved or is provided by a job contract
- an advanced education course
- relevant education that’s been provided by an employer or as part of any office they hold
- getting benefits in their own right
Child Benefit – which changes you need to report
Contacting the Child Benefit Office
You can contact the Child Benefit Office in a number of ways. You can tell us about any changes or ask for advice by:
- Getting in touch with us online using the relevant links below.
- Calling the Child Benefit Office Helpline on Tel 0845 302 1444 or textphone Tel 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.
Writing to us at:
Child Benefit Office
PO Box 1
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE88 1AA.
Let us know online about changes to your child’s circumstances
Send us your Child Benefit query online
More useful links
Find out more about Child Benefit if your child is 16 or over
Your child reaches 16 – are you still entitled to tax credits?
