HMRC will stop £117.21 monthly payments at midnight for some parents unless action taken

HMRC will stop £117.21 monthly payments at midnight for some parents unless action taken Anyone who has received exam results may need to take action urgently HM Revenue and Customs has issued a warning to parents whose children have recently received exam results and may be returning to school or continuing their education - alerting them they could lose payments of £117.21 each month. This month's results will determine whether hundreds of thousands of students choose to continue in full-time education next year. However, if parents don't take action by August 31, they risk having their Child Benefit stopped - losing approximately £1,406 annually. In a post on X, HMRC said: "Has your child recently received their #GCSE results? If they're staying in education or training next year, you'll need to update your Child Benefit claim on the HMRC app or online by midnight on 31 August. "Don't miss out on up to £1,406 a year." It directed parents to a Gov.uk page explaining what people need to do - to access it, click here. Officials stated anyone with children receiving results this month for GCSEs, A Levels and National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers in Scotland, may need to take action. Currently, those eligible will receive £27.05 weekly for their first child and £17.90 weekly for any additional children. For the 2026/2027 tax year, parents will receive £1,406.52 annually for their eldest or only child, and £930.80 yearly for each extra child. Consequently, if they have two eligible children, that will amount to £2,337.40. Should one child continue in education following their results and individuals neglect to act by the end of August, they will essentially be sacrificing £117.21 each month. Individuals can claim child benefit if they are 'responsible for the child', the youngster is under 16 years old - or under 20 years old and remains in full-time non-advanced education or training. Around 1.5 million parents of 16-19 year-olds received reminder letters earlier this year. Parents of 16-19 year-olds were encouraged to extend their Child Benefit claim if their teenager is continuing in certain types of education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s. Child Benefit will automatically cease on 31 August on or after a child's 16th birthday unless parents confirm their teenager's intentions. Approximately 1.5 million reminder letters were sent out earlier this year. HMRC stated: "You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about their education or training. Only the person who is claiming Child Benefit can do this. "You may be sent a letter in your child's last year at school asking you to tell HMRC about your child's plans. "Your Child Benefit automatically stops on 31 August on or after your child's 16th birthday if: - they leave education or training - you do not tell HMRC that they’re staying in education or training - they’re staying in a type of education or training where you cannot get Child Benefit”. Last year, 874,000 parents extended their claim, with over half doing so online or via the HMRC app. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Chief Customer Officer, said: "Child Benefit is a real financial boost for families, so if your teenager already knows they're staying in education or training after their GCSEs or National 5s, you don't need to wait for our letter. You can extend your Child Benefit claim today in minutes via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK." Teenagers enrolled in full-time non-advanced education or undertaking unpaid approved training courses can continue receiving Child Benefit. The complete list of qualifying courses is available on GOV.UK.. Check if your child’s education qualifies Child Benefit remains available if your child is undertaking full-time non-advanced education. Full-time means more than an average of 12 hours weekly of supervised study or course-related work experience. Children with an illness or disability can complete fewer hours if that's suitable for them. Non-advanced education encompasses: - A levels or similar, for example International Baccalaureate - T levels - GCSEs - Scottish Highers - NVQs and most vocational qualifications up to level 3 - home education - study programmes in England - a pre-apprenticeship Education that doesn't qualify for Child Benefit. Child Benefit isn't available if your child is studying for a: - university degree - BTEC Higher National Certificate - pre-degree course - for example a foundation diploma or access to higher education course - Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Higher National Diploma (HND) level 7 - Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) Should a Child Benefit claimant or their partner earn an individual income between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner may face the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). An estimate is available using the Child Benefit tax calculator on GOV.UK. Parents can settle the charge through their PAYE tax code via the HICBC digital service, or through Self Assessment. HMRC stated: "Parents only need to act if their teenager is starting a new course or qualifying training in September. Those already partway through a course previously notified to HMRC do not need to contact us. "Full-time education means more than an average of 12 hours a week of supervised study or course-related work experience. This includes home schooling. If a child has an illness or disability, they may be able to do fewer hours where this is appropriate for them."