Does Child Benefit Stop At 18 Even If You Are In Full-Time Education?
By
HuutiMoney
Sometimes there is confusion over whether Child Benefit stops at 18 years of age or if it can be claimed for children who are in full-time education or training until they are 20 years old.
This article sets out the rules on Child Benefit and whether parents can continue to claim the benefit for children aged 18-20 years who are in full-time education or training.
Does Child Benefit Stop At 18 Even If You Are In Full-Time Education?
No, Child Benefit does necessarily not stop at 18 years of age but there is a specific eligibility criterion for this. Generally speaking, Child Benefit stops on August 31 after the child for whom it is claimed turns 16 years of age; unless the parent(s) inform the HMRC that the child will be a full-time student in the future with no plans to work and earn a wage, even on a part-time basis.
This means that under certain circumstances, parents can continue claiming Child Benefit up until their child is 20 years old.
Parents of certain children in full-time education can continue claiming Child Benefit even after their child is 18 years of age. This applies to all types of full-time education during which your child studies for an average of 12 hours per week under the supervision of a teacher or tutor and includes the following:
- apprenticeships,
- further education,
- and higher education;
The Child Benefit system in the United Kingdom is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible parents or guardians to help with the costs of raising a child. Currently, the benefit is paid for each child up to the age of 18 years.
To qualify for Child Benefit, your child must either be in full-time education or approved training.
If your child does not continue with a full-time education or apprenticeship after the age of 16, you will lose claim of the following benefits:
- Child Benefit
- Child Tax Credit
- Additional amounts received with Universal Credit, Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
- Additional amounts are received due to the assessment of Housing Benefit and Council Tax support
What Counts As Full-Time Education For Child Benefit?
Full-time education includes the following courses:
- A-Levels, Pre-U or International Baccalaureate
- T levels
- Scottish Highers
- NVQs and other vocational qualifications up to level 3
- Homeschooling (only if it started before your child turned 16 or if they have special needs)
- traineeships in England
If your child intends to continue with full-time education after the age of 16, you should tell the Child Benefit office that your child is staying in education in order to continue claiming Child Benefit payments.
What Counts As Approved Training For Child Benefit?
You can get Child Benefit if your child is on an apprenticeship or approved training only if they are considered a “qualifying person”. This means that they must be:
- Aged between 16 and 19 years and either in full-time non-advanced education or approved training.
- Aged either 16 or 17 years and registered for further education, work or training with a local authority support service, careers service, Connexions or similar organisation.
To be considered in approved training, your child should not have an employment contract for their apprenticeship.
Approved training should be unpaid and can include Foundation Apprenticeships or Traineeships in Wales, Employability Fund programmes in Scotland or PEACE IV Children and Young People 2.1, Training for Success, or Skills for Life and Work in Northern Ireland.
There are some exceptions to this rule, however. If your child is in full-time education but also works more than 20 hours per week, they will not be eligible for Child Benefit after they turn 16 years old.
What Is The Age Criteria for Child Benefit?
To be eligible for Child Benefit, the child must be aged under 16 years or, in some cases, under 20 years.
If the child is aged 16 to 19 years old and is in full-time education or training, they may still be eligible for Child Benefit.
In order to qualify, the education or training must be approved by a government, local authority or a recognised UK educational institution. The course must lead to a qualification that is recognised by the Department for Education.
The education or training must also be provided on a full-time basis. This means that the child must be attending school for at least 24 hours per week or, if they are in further education or training, they must be taking part in at least 12 hours’ worth of lessons or training per week.
What Other Benefits Are Available For Families In The UK?
In addition to Child Benefit, there are a number of other benefits that families in the UK may be eligible for, including:
- Child Tax Credit: This is a government payment that is available to help with the costs of raising children.
- Working Tax Credit: This is a government payment that is available to help people who are in work but on a low income.
- Housing Benefit: This is a government payment that is available to help with the costs of rent for people who are on a low income.
- Universal Credit: This is a government payment that is available to people who are on a low income or who are unemployed.
Families with an income of up to £50,000 per year may be eligible for these benefits.
Conclusion:
The above discussion has highlighted the different situations and eligibility criteria under which one may be able to claim Child Benefit even after their child is older than 18 years of age and in full-time education. However, if the child works (even part-time) and earns a wage or starts claiming benefits on their own, the parent(s) will not be able to claim Child Benefit anymore.
FAQs: Does Child Benefit Stop At 18 Even If You Are In Full-Time Education?
Does Child Benefit stop automatically at 18 in the UK?
Child Benefit payments will automatically stop on 31st August after your child’s 16th birthday; unless you inform the HMRC that your child will continue to stay in full-time education or approved training.
Do I still get Child Benefit if my child goes to university?
No, you cannot claim Child Benefit when your child starts going to University as they are not financially dependent on you anymore.
Can I claim benefits if I am in full-time education?
If you are in full-time education, you can claim income-related Employment and Support Allowance only if you also receive Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
Can a 19-year-old in full-time education claim Universal Credit?
No, a 19-year-old in full-time education will not qualify to claim Universal Credit on their own. However, their parents can make the claim on their behalf.
Can I claim Universal Credit if my child is in full-time education?
If you qualify for Universal Credit, you can continue receiving your payment even if your child is in full-time education.
References:
Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit for 16-19-year-olds – Citizens Advice.
Child Benefit for young people aged 16 or over – GOV.UK
When your child turns 16 or leaves education | Gingerbread
When do you stop receiving child benefits and what other support is available for parents?