HM Revenue and Customs is reminding parents earning under £60,000 to claim child benefit, after it changed the rules to make more families eligible.
For a family with two children, the benefit is worth up to £2,212 per year, while if you have three children, it could be worth up to £3,094.
That is based on the highest earner making less than £60,000 per year. If they earn more than that, they will get less.
Until April 2024, full child benefit was only available when the highest earner earned under £50,000.
This means there are now more parents who can claim the full amount.
Extra cash: A family with two children could get £2,212 per year in child benefit
In a post on X, HMRC said: ‘Opted out of child benefit payments because of the high income child benefit charge?
‘The amount you or your partner can earn before paying the charge in now £60k, so you may be missing out on a cash boost.’
Child benefit is paid monthly to anyone looking after a child under the age of 16, or under 20 if they stay in full-time education.
It is currently worth £25.60 a week for the eldest child, and £16.95 a week for each additional child.
There’s no limit on how many children you can claim for.
Who can claim child benefit?
Only one parent in a two-parent household can claim child benefit, and this must be the higher earner.
The benefit is based on individual income, so a family with two parents each earning £59,000 would qualify for full child benefit, while a single parent earning £61,000 would start to have some of it clawed back.
For those who earn £60,000 or more, the benefit starts to be gradually withdrawn.
This is known as the ‘high income child benefit charge’ and it is levied at 1 per cent of the total benefit for every £200 of income over £60,000.
That limit was raised from £50,000 in April 2024, so there may be families who didn’t register previously who are now eligible.
Once you earn £80,000 or more, child benefit is withdrawn altogether.
If a family splits up, only one person still gets £25.60 a week for the eldest child, but if there are two children who live with different partners they will both get £25.60 a week. For other children, the amount stays at £16.95.
If you have a blended family, only the eldest child qualifies for the £25.60 rate and any other children the £16.95 rate.
If you have to pay the child benefit high income charge, this means filing a tax return.
How do you claim child benefit?
You can make a claim for child benefit or add another child to your claim at gov.uk, either online or by downloading and filling in a printed form.
Payments are made every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday, but you can be paid weekly if you are a single parent or get other benefits, like Universal Credit.
You are expected to report anything that might affect affect your child benefit, such as household changes or if you move abroad.
How child benefit can help your pension
It can be worth applying for child benefit, even if you don’t qualify for any payments.
This is because registering gets you credits towards the state pension if you need them, and your child will be in the system to receive their NI number when they turn 16.
You should still apply, and either tick the relevant box to opt out of getting the payments, or take the money but fill in a tax return to have it clawed back.