Parents urged not to miss out on annual payments of £1,331 ahead of HMRC deadline next month

More than 1.4 million families will receive a letter from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) before the end of next week reminding them to extend their Child Benefit claim for their teenagers if they are continuing their education or training after their Scottish Nationals. Exam results are due to be published across Scotland by the SQA on Tuesday, August 6.

The letters will include a QR code which, when scanned, directs them straight to GOV.UK to update their claim quickly and easily online. Child Benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for the first or only child, and up to £881 a year for each additional child.

Payments will automatically stop on August 31 on or after the child has turned 16 unless parents renew their claim where their child is continuing in education. If their 16-19 year-old intends to continue in approved education or training, parents can use the online service on GOV.UK or the HMRC app so they do not miss out.

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for children who are studying full time in approved non-advanced education, which includes:

• A levels or Scottish Highers

• International Baccalaureate

• home education - if it started before their child turned 16, or after 16 if they have a statement of special educational needs and it was assessed by the local authority

• T levels

• NVQs, up to level 3

Child Benefit will also continue for children studying on one of these unpaid approved training courses:

• Scotland: Employability Fund programme and No One Left Behind

• Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme

• Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work

If a child changes their mind about further education or training, parents can simply inform HMRC online or in the app and payments will be adjusted accordingly.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit is an important financial support for many families, so make sure you don’t miss out on any payments if your teenager intends to continue approved education or training. You can quickly and easily extend your claim online or via the HMRC app.”

Parents have until August 31 to take action or their payments will automatically stop.

HMRC said the quickest way to avoid payments stopping is to update the information online or on the official app. Anyone who does not receive a letter by July 17 can still extend their Child Benefit claim on GOV.UK or the HMRC app.

Parents will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to use HMRC’s online services. If they do not have one already, they can register on GOV.UK and will just need their National Insurance number or postcode, and two forms of ID.