Claiming Child Benefit and the High Income Child Benefit Charge

Claiming Child Benefit

Eligibility: You can claim Child Benefit if you're responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training). There is no limit to how many children you can claim, but only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

How to Claim: You can claim Child Benefit 48 hours after registering the birth of your child, or once a child comes to live with you. You can claim online, by post, or by phone. You'll need your child's birth or adoption certificate, your bank details, and your National Insurance number.

Benefits: By claiming Child Benefit, you'll receive a weekly payment for each child, National Insurance credits towards your State Pension so you do not have gaps if you are not working of do not earn enough to pay National Insurance contributions, and a National Insurance number for your child, without them having to apply for one once they turn 16 years old.

High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC)

Overview: If you or your partner have an individual income over £60,000 (for the tax year 2024 to 2025), you may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge. This is done via filing a self-assessment tax return.

How it Works: The charge is 1% of the Child Benefit for every £100 of income over £60,000. If your income exceeds £80,000, the charge equals the full amount of Child Benefit.

Options: You can either continue receiving Child Benefit and pay the charge at the end of the tax year, or opt out of receiving payments but still claim to get National Insurance credits.

Important Note: Even if you opt out of receiving payments, it's still beneficial to claim Child Benefit to ensure you get National Insurance credits