High Income charge: stop your Child Benefit payments

If you or your partner are affected by the High Income Child Benefit charge and have decided to stop Child Benefit payments, there’s an online form to make your request. It is important to know that only the person who’s entitled to Child Benefit can stop the payments.

On this page:

Make sure the right person uses this online form

Only use this online form if all of the following apply:

  • you’re the person entitled to Child Benefit
  • you - or your partner - are liable to pay the High Income Child Benefit charge
  • you have agreed with your partner (or ex-partner) to stop your Child Benefit payments

If you’ve been sent the awareness letter from HM Revenue & Customs about the charge, you can’t use the form if you’re not the person who’s entitled to Child Benefit.

You can also use this form if you're an 'appointee'. An appointee can act on behalf of someone who is ill or disabled and can't manage their own affairs.

Authorised agents will soon be able to stop the payments on behalf of their clients.

Go to the online form

High Income Child Benefit charge request not to receive Child Benefit payments

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Information you need before you start

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

  • your email address
  • your full postal address including postcode
  • your date of birth
  • your National Insurance number
  • your Child Benefit 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.

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Effect on Child Benefit

If you decide to stop your Child Benefit payments it won't affect your entitlement to Child Benefit. As long as you, or your partner, are entitled to receive it you should still fill in a Child Benefit claim form for any new children. This is because entitlement to Child Benefit:

  • can help you qualify for National Insurance credits that can protect your entitlement to State Pension
  • can help protect your entitlement to other benefits such as Guardian's Allowance
  • ensures your child is automatically issued with a National Insurance number before their 16th birthday

You can restart your Child Benefit payments again at any time if you wish.

You will still need to report any changes in circumstances that could affect your entitlement to Child Benefit, or if you want to stop your payments for any other reason.

Child Benefit - which changes you need to report

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More useful links

The High Income Child Benefit charge - the basics

Getting Child Benefit on behalf of someone else

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