Child Benefit After 16 - How to Extend Until 19 (or 20)
Payments stop automatically at 16. You must tell HMRC by 31 August each year to continue receiving benefit.
Action required by 31 August
If your child turns 16 and stays in approved education or training, you must notify HMRC by 31 August in the year they turn 16. If you miss this deadline, payments stop and you may not be able to restart them easily.
When Does Child Benefit Stop?
Child Benefit stops automatically on 31 August after your child's 16th birthday. HMRC does this automatically - there is no notification. The payments simply stop.
You can extend it until your child's 19th birthday (or 20th if the course started before they turned 19) if they remain in approved education or training.
Approved Education
Counts as approved (minimum 12 hours/week supervised study):
- ✓ A-levels and AS-levels
- ✓ BTECs and other vocational qualifications
- ✓ NVQs (up to Level 3)
- ✓ Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers
- ✓ GCSE resits
- ✓ International Baccalaureate
- ✓ Home education (if it started before age 16)
Does NOT Qualify
- ✗ University or higher education (degree level)
- ✗ Apprenticeships (apprentices earn a wage)
- ✗ Paid work or employment
- ✗ Volunteer work
- ✗ Evening classes only (under 12 hours/week)
Approved Training
Unpaid training that is approved by a government body can extend Child Benefit. The key requirement is that the training must be unpaid. If your child receives any wage or training allowance, it may not qualify.
In England, "Foundation Learning" and similar provision counts. In Scotland and Wales, ask your local authority about approved training schemes.
The 20-Week Extension
If your 16 or 17 year old leaves education or training and registers with a government-approved careers service (such as a Connexions adviser or Careers Wales), you can receive a 20-week extension to Child Benefit. This is designed to bridge the gap if they are looking for work or a place in education or training.
Gap Years and University
University does not count as approved education. When your child starts university, Child Benefit stops regardless of their age.
If your child takes a gap year before university, Child Benefit can continue until 31 August after their 19th birthday, or until the term before university starts, whichever is earlier - as long as they were previously in approved education.
Action Checklist for Parents of 15-16 Year Olds (do this in August)
- 1Find out if your child plans to stay in education or approved training after age 16
- 2If yes: notify HMRC online via your Personal Tax Account or the HMRC app, or by phone on 0300 200 3100
- 3Do this before 31 August in the year they turn 16
- 4Confirm the course name, start date, expected end date, and whether it is full-time (over 12 hours/week)
- 5Keep your contact details up to date with HMRC - they may write to you to confirm the extension each year
Remember NI credits: For every extra year Child Benefit continues, the claimant earns another year of NI credits towards their State Pension. At £342/year in pension income per credit year, extending to 19 (3 more years after 16) is worth an estimated £1,026/year in additional pension.