HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has updated online guidance for parents or guardians making a new claim for Child Benefit. You can claim Child Benefit if you are responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16, or 20 if they stay in approved education or training.
Only one person can claim Child Benefit and HMRC advises that if you are in a couple and one of you does not work, or earns less than £242 a week, then that person should make the claim to help protect their State Pension. There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for and you do not need to be the parent of the child to get the financial support worth £21.80 every week for the eldest or only child, and £14.45 per additional child.
However, a new update on GOV.UK explains that you can only use the online form if you and your partner have always lived in the UK - unless you or your partner are a member of HM Forces or civil servants abroad.
