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If you’re a parent of a 16 to 19-year-old who’s staying in full-time education or training, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding families to extend their Child Benefit claim by 31 August to avoid the payments stopping altogether.

Why it matters

Child Benefit is worth up to £1,354.60 per year for your first child and £897 for each additional child. It’s a welcome boost for many families, but it won’t continue automatically once your child turns 16. Unless you confirm they’re still in approved education or training, payments will stop at the end of August following their 16th birthday.

With many teens finishing GCSEs this summer, now is the time to get this sorted.

How to extend your claim

It’s quick and easy to extend your Child Benefit online or via the HMRC app. If you’re eligible, you don’t need to wait for anything from HMRC, you can do it today. Alternatively, HMRC is sending out reminder letters between May and July that include a QR code to take you straight to the right page on GOV.UK.

What counts as approved education or training?

You’ll still qualify if your child is studying full-time in non-advanced education (like A-levels, NVQs up to level 3 or home education), or attending approved unpaid training. It doesn’t count if the course is part of a job contract.

Are you an employer? Here’s what to keep in mind

If you employ parents of older teenagers, this reminder might be helpful to share. It’s also worth being aware of changes coming for those affected by the High-Income Child Benefit Charge.

From this summer, families can now opt to pay this charge through their PAYE tax code instead of filing a Self Assessment return, a move designed to cut paperwork. This might reduce admin for some of your employees. You’ll just need to look out for any updates to their tax code for payroll processing.

What about families who opted out of Child Benefit?

If someone in your team previously opted out because of the High-Income Charge, it’s now easier to opt back in if circumstances have changed. They can restart payments through the app or website.

And don’t forget Child Trust Funds

If your teenager has recently turned 16, they can take control of their Child Trust Fund, which could be worth thousands of pounds. They’ll be able to withdraw the money once they turn 18. If they’re not sure where it’s held, there’s a free online tool to track it down on GOV.UK.

Next steps

• Parents: If your child is staying in education or training, log in to the HMRC app or GOV.UK to extend your Child Benefit claim before 31 August.

• Employers: Consider sharing this information with staff or including it in internal communications, especially for those balancing work and parenting teens.

• High-income families: Check if the new digital option for paying the Child Benefit Charge via PAYE could save you time.

As always, if you have questions or aren’t sure how this might affect your personal or business situation, feel free to get in touch.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/parents-of-teens-reminded-to-extend-child-benefit-claim-online