Child Benefit if a child or parent dies

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1. If a child dies

You바카라 사이트™ll usually get Child Benefit for 8 weeks after the child dies. If they would have had their 20th birthday before the 8 weeks are up, Child Benefit will stop on the following Monday.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

If you바카라 사이트™ve already claimed

You바카라 사이트™ll need to tell the Child Benefit Office as soon as possible if a child you바카라 사이트™re getting Child Benefit for dies. You can do this by phone or by post.

You must include the date of death.

If you have not claimed yet

If the child died before you sent a claim form, you can still send one (unless the child was stillborn).

How to claim

  1. Make a claim for Child Benefit by post.

  2. Include a note with the date of the child바카라 사이트™s death.

  3. Put your contact details and National Insurance number on the note.

  4. Send the child바카라 사이트™s birth registration number (shown on the child바카라 사이트™s birth certificate) or adoption certificate with your claim form (you do not have to send their death certificate).

If you do not have the child바카라 사이트™s birth or adoption certificate, you can order a new one and send in the birth registration number or adoption certificate later.

If your child died before the end of the week they were born in, the 8 weeks will start from the Monday following the death.

Child Benefit can only be backdated for up to 3 months. The longer you leave your claim, the less you바카라 사이트™ll get.

If you opted out of receiving Child Benefit

You still need to tell the Child Benefit Office as soon as possible if a child eligible for Child Benefit dies. You can do this by phone or by post.

You must include the date of death.

You won바카라 사이트™t have to pay the High Income Child Benefit tax charge on any Child Benefit received after the child dies.

2. If one or both parents die

You may be able to get Child Benefit if you become the main carer for the child or children of someone who has died.

Report the death

Tell the Child Benefit Office by phone or post as soon as possible about the death.

You do not need to tell the Child Benefit Office if you바카라 사이트™ve already used the Tell Us Once service.

You바카라 사이트™ll need to confirm:

  • the parent바카라 사이트™s date of death
  • where the child is living now
  • who is looking after the child

Once you tell the Child Benefit Office about the death, they will:

  • cancel Child Benefit and any Guardian바카라 사이트™s Allowance payments
  • write to whoever is looking after the child within 20 days, to confirm this has been done

Make a claim

Child Benefit won바카라 사이트™t be transferred to you automatically. You바카라 사이트™ll need to make a new claim for Child Benefit if you바카라 사이트™re not the person named as the claimant on the original claim form.

Once reported, Child Benefit stops from the Monday following the death. It can only be backdated for up to 3 months.

Bank accounts

You can confirm the bank account you want the money paid into on the claim form.

If you바카라 사이트™re the person getting Child Benefit but the money was paid into the deceased바카라 사이트™s account, you should choose a different account.

Extra help

You might be eligible for either Guardian바카라 사이트™s Allowance or Widowed Parent바카라 사이트™s Allowance on top of Child Benefit.

You or your partner may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit tax charge on any Child Benefit you receive.