Child Benefit

How it works

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

By claiming Child Benefit, you can get:

• an allowance paid to you for each child – you’ll usually get it every 4 weeks
• National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension
• a National Insurance number for your child without them having to apply for one – they’ll usually get the number shortly before they turn 16 years old

If you choose not to get Child Benefit payments, you should still make a claim to get the other advantages.

Child Benefit and protecting your State Pension

You’ll get National Insurance credits automatically if you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12.

These credits count towards your State Pension, so you do not have gaps in your National Insurance record if either:

• you’re not working
• you do not earn enough to pay National Insurance contributions

If you do not need the National Insurance credits, your family may be eligible to get the support instead. Either:

• your husband, wife or partner can apply to transfer the credits
• a different family member who provides care for your child can apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits

If your circumstances change

You must report any change of circumstances to the Child Benefit Office.