Child Benefit Update: Key Deadline for Parents of 16–19-Year-Olds (even if you might have opted out)

If you have children aged 16 to 19, you may be entitled to continue receiving up to £1,354 per year in Child Benefit. However, this entitlement doesn’t renew automatically once your child turns 16. With the HMRC deadline of 31 August 2025 fast approaching, it’s essential to take action now to avoid missing out.

Why Action Is Required

Child Benefit usually stops on 31 August after your child turns 16, unless HMRC is informed that they are continuing in full-time non-advanced education (such as A-levels or T Levels) or approved training. If you don’t update their status in time, your payments will end—even if your child is still in education.

How to Extend Your Claim

To keep receiving Child Benefit, you’ll need to confirm your child’s continued education or training. This can be done quickly and easily:

Online via GOV.UK (search “extend Child Benefit”), or

Through the HMRC app, using the QR code in the letter HMRC will send to you.

What If You’ve Opted Out?

If you or have opted out of receiving payments because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC), you still need to extend your claim for the following reasons:

• It protects your National Insurance record (especially important for non-working parents) and it ensures continued eligibility for other benefits.

• You may now be entitled to keep some or all of the benefit without paying it back as the income threshold rose in April 2024.  The charge now starts at income of £60,000 of the higher earner (up from £50,000) and is fully phased out at £80,000.

You may now find that receiving Child Benefit is worthwhile.

Check What You Could Receive

To estimate how much benefit you may be entitled to, and whether the charge applies to you, use the official tax credit calculator to work out what you might be due  https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-calculator

If you wany any more information please do not hesitate to contact us.