Overview

• HMRC says families who do not renew by 31 August will see Child Benefit stop or be delayed from 1 September for teenagers turning 16.
• Renewals can be completed through the HMRC app, the GOV.UK service or QR codes on reminder letters sent earlier in the summer.
• Child Benefit for 2025/26 pays £26.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.25 for each additional child, worth about £1,354 and £897 a year respectively.
• MoneySavingExpert has urged immediate action, and experts note parents should still claim to protect National Insurance credits even if liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
• From 1 September, eligibility to extend Child Benefit will include home-educated 16–19-year-olds and those unable to attend college due to illness or disability, and HMRC is adding a digital PAYE option to pay the charge.