Don’t Miss Out on Child Benefit: Tell HMRC by 31st August!

students sat at a desk outside doing work

Just a quick reminder for all parents and carers: if your child is turning 16 and planning to stay in education or training, you must let HMRC know by 31st August 2025, or you could risk losing your Child Benefit.

Why the Deadline Matters

Child Benefit automatically stops on 31st August after your child turns 16, unless you inform HMRC that they’re continuing in approved education or training. If HMRC isn’t told, they’ll assume your child has left education and payments will stop.

This is a quick task that could make a big difference to your finances, especially during back-to-school season.

What Counts as Approved Education or Training?

Approved Education:

A-levels, T-levels or Scottish Highers
NVQs (up to Level 3)
International Baccalaureate
Full-time home education (under specific conditions)
Other full-time non-advanced education (at least 12 hours per week)

Note: University degrees or most apprenticeships don’t qualify (except some Welsh schemes).

Approved Training:

Includes unpaid government-supported training such as:

Foundation Apprenticeships (Wales)
Jobs Growth Wales+
“No One Left Behind” (Scotland)
Skills for Life and Work (Northern Ireland)

How Do I Let HMRC Know?

HMRC will usually send a letter before your child’s final school year ends, asking you to confirm what’s next. You can respond online via your Government Gateway account, or contact HMRC by phone or post.

Make sure to:

Confirm if your child is continuing in approved education/training
Update HMRC if anything changes (e.g. they leave a course early)

What If Your Child Leaves Early?

You might still be eligible for up to 20 weeks of extended Child Benefit if:

Your child is aged 16–17
They work less than 24 hours a week
They register with a careers service, an apprenticeship scheme, or the armed forces
You apply within 3 months of them leaving education/training