Child Benefit Changes You Must Report
Rules checked 8 November 2026 against GOV.UK and Citizens Advice. Always confirm current rules on GOV.UK before acting. This is an independent guide, NOT GOV.UK, NOT HMRC.
Report changes promptly
You must tell HMRC about any change that could affect your Child Benefit. Citizens Advice says to report a change as soon as you know about it, ideally within 1 month. Only the person claiming Child Benefit can report a change of circumstances. If you tell HMRC late, you could be paid too much and have to pay the money back. That is called an overpayment.
Changes about your child
Tell HMRC if your child leaves approved education or training at 16 to 20, starts working for more than 24 hours a week at 16 or over, starts getting Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, gets married or forms a civil partnership, moves in with a partner, lives away from you for more than 8 weeks in a row or more than 56 days in a 16-week period, goes into care or residential accommodation for more than 8 weeks or hospital for more than 12 weeks, changes their name, goes missing, or dies. See also our After 16 guide.
Changes about you or your household
Tell HMRC if you move home, your bank or building society account changes, you or your partner start to earn more than £60,000, you get married or form a civil partnership, a partner moves in with you, you separate from your partner, you change your name or gender, or your immigration status changes. Telling another government department is not enough: if you tell the Department for Work and Pensions about a change, you still need to tell HMRC as well. The one exception is the Tell Us Once service after a death, which passes the information to HMRC for you.
How to report a change
1. Online on GOV.UK
Report the change through the GOV.UK Child Benefit online service with a Government Gateway account. This is usually the fastest route.
2. HMRC app
You can also report a change using the HMRC app.
3. By post
Write to the Child Benefit Office, marking the letter 'change of circumstance' clearly at the top. Keep proof of postage, and allow extra time compared with reporting online.
If your payment stops
Work through this checklist before assuming a mistake: did your child turn 16 and leave education, so the 31 August rule applies? Did you report a recent change? Has your bank account changed or closed? Has your income crossed £60,000, so the High Income Child Benefit Charge applies? Check your GOV.UK account, check the 16 to 19 status, and check whether the change was reported. If a payment has stopped and none of these explains it, contact the Child Benefit Office through GOV.UK.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly must I report a change?
As soon as you know about it, ideally within 1 month.
Can my partner report the change for me?
No. Only the person claiming Child Benefit can tell HMRC about a change of circumstances.
What happens if I report late?
You could be overpaid and have to pay the money back to HMRC.
Do I need to report a change if I already told another department?
Yes. You still need to tell HMRC, unless you used the Tell Us Once service after a death.
Does earning over £60,000 stop my Child Benefit?
Not automatically. It may mean you have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge. See our HICBC guide.