Child Benefit: How it works and how to claim it

Child Benefit is a valuable form of financial support designed to help parents or guardians with the costs of raising children. Whether you're a new parent or managing a growing family, it’s important to understand how it works, especially if you’re struggling with your finances. Even though Child Benefit won’t clear debt, it can provide a vital source of financial support at a difficult time.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about Child Benefit, including how it works, how to claim it, eligibility requirements, payment amounts for the tax year 2024/2025, and how it may change for larger families.

For official guidance on how Child Benefit works, you could visit GOV.UK or check out dedicated guides from trusted organisations like Citizens Advice or MoneyHelper.

This content is intended to be an impartial guide about what Child Benefit is and how it works. Lowell Financial Ltd does not offer financial advice. You can find out more about the organisations you can contact in our guide on debt help and support.

How does Child Benefit work?

Child Benefit is a form of financial support paid to a parent or guardian for each of their children to help with the costs of bringing them up. It’s usually paid up to when each child turns 16 (or age 20, if they’re in full-time education or training).

You can make a claim for Child Benefit online at GOV.UK where you can also find official guidance on how Child Benefit works and other common questions. 

What is Child Benefit used for?

To put it simply, Child Benefit is given to parents to help towards raising their children. It can help towards the basic costs of living, such as food and clothing.

How much is Child Benefit a month?

For the 2024/25 tax year, you can claim:

• £25.60 a week for your first child
• £16.95 a week per child for any more children.

For the most current and up-to-date information on the Child Benefit amount, take a look at the GOV.UK website.

When is Child Benefit paid?

Child Benefit is usually paid into your bank account by the Government every four weeks.

When to apply for Child Benefit

You can apply for Child Benefit any time. If possible, it’s best to try and do this right after your child is born or comes to live with you. If you just had a baby, you will need to register their birth before you can apply for Child Benefit. You can claim Child Benefit 48 hours after registering the birth.

If you apply for it at a later point, Child Benefit payments can be backdated up to 3 months. This means you can receive up to 3 months’ worth of Child Benefit payments in your first payment, even if you didn’t apply for it right away. Take a look at Citizens Advice’s guide on claiming Child Benefit for more information on this.

Child Benefit eligibility

Generally speaking, you’ll be eligible to claim Child Benefit if:

• You’re responsible for a child aged 16, or up to 20 years old if they’re in full-time study or training
• The child is living with you
• You’re paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit on living costs (e.g. food, clothes or pocket money)

However, your eligibility could be impacted if your child/the child you’re responsible for:

• Has been in prison or custody for the last 8 weeks
• Is married or in a civil partnership, unless they live apart or their partner is in full-time education or training
• Is receiving payments like tax credits, Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, or Employment and Support Allowance
• Is in residential care (long-term care in a care home) or hospital for more than 12 weeks, unless you still pay for their needs

It’s worth noting that only one person can receive Child Benefit allowance for a child or children they look after.

You can find more detailed information about Child Benefit eligibility on the GOV.UK website.

How many children do you get Child Benefit for?

As of the creation of this guide, there is no limit on the number of children you look after that you can claim benefits for. It’s worth noting that the GOV.UK website has a page on what you’ll get and the latest rates, as benefit amounts and rules can change.

How does Child Benefit for 2 children work?

For the 2024/2025 tax year, if you have two children, you’ll receive £25.60 per week for your oldest child and £16.95 per week for your youngest.

How does Child Benefit for 3 children or more work?

If you have three or more children, the same rules apply: you’ll get £25.60 per week for the eldest child and £16.95 per week for each of the others. 

Adding a child to Child Benefit

If you’ve had another child, you might be wondering how to add a child to your existing Child Benefit claim. You’ll need to report the changes online to the Government.

If you cannot claim online, fill out the Additional Child Form CH2 form (CS), found on the GOV.UK website, and send it to the address on the form. You can also call their hotline (0300 200 3100) for more support. 

Does Child Benefit affect Universal Credit?

If you’re struggling to manage your money, we understand that the question of ‘is Child Benefit included in Universal Credit?’ is something that might have crossed your mind.

To put it simply, Child Benefit is paid separately to Universal Credit, so it won’t affect those payments. However, the amount of Child Benefit you receive could be affected by the Benefit Cap, which is applicable to the housing element of Universal Credit. You can find out more about this by reading Citizens Advice’s guide on Universal Credit.

Is Child Benefit means tested?

Child Benefit is not means-tested, meaning you can receive it no matter how much you earn or how much you have saved.

However, in the tax year 2024/2025, if you or your partner has an individual salary of £60,000 or more, you may have to pay a tax charge known as the ‘High-Income Child Benefit Charge’. The partner with the highest income will need to complete a Self-Assessment tax return to pay this charge. The GOV.UK website has more information on the Child Benefit tax charge.

While claiming Child Benefit won’t help to clear debt, it can provide a reliable source of financial support to help look after your children at a challenging time. Since Child Benefit is not means-tested, you may still qualify for other monetary support, regardless of what your financial situation looks like. Always check the GOV.UK website for official guidance.

If you have any other questions or concerns about Child Benefit, you can call the official Child Benefit helpline on 0300 200 3100.

For more help with government benefits, take a look at our guide to benefits and debt. To check whether you’re receiving all of the other benefits you are entitled to, try our benefits calculator.

If you’ve got a Lowell debt, we’re here to support you every step of the way on your journey to become debt-free with us. Once you get in touch, our team will be able to listen and work with you to figure out the best next steps based on your circumstances.

First published: 25th February, 2025