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You’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.

If a newborn baby dies

You’re entitled to up to 8 weeks of Child Benefit if you claim within 3 months of the death.

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

If you’ve already claimed

You need to tell the Child Benefit Office as soon as possible if a child you’re getting Child Benefit for dies.

If you have not claimed yet

If the child died before you claimed Child Benefit, you can still send a claim form (unless the child was stillborn). You cannot claim online.

How to claim

1. Make a claim for Child Benefit by post.

2. Include a note with the date of the child’s death.

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

4. Send the child’s birth registration number (shown on the child’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 child’s birth or adoption certificate, you can order a new one and send in the birth registration number or adoption certificate later.

Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months. Claim as soon as possible to get what you’re entitled to.

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. This applies even if you opted out for any reason, like the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

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

You need to tell the Child Benefit Office as soon as possible if the parent claiming Child Benefit dies.

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

• cancel Child Benefit and any Guardian’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 will not be transferred to you automatically. You’ll need to make a new claim for Child Benefit if you’re not the person named as the claimant on the original claim form.

Bank accounts

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

If you’re the person getting Child Benefit but the money was paid into the deceased’s account, you should choose a different account.

Extra help

You might be eligible for either Guardian’s Allowance or Widowed Parent’s Allowance on top of Child Benefit.

Phone or write to report the death of a child or parent who was claiming Child Benefit.

You will need:

• your full name
• your National Insurance number
• the full name, date of birth and date of death of the person who died

When reporting the death of a parent, you’ll also need to confirm:

• their National Insurance number
• where the child (or children) is living now
• who is looking after the child

By phone

Call the HMRC Bereavement Helpline:

By post

Write to the Child Benefit Office:

Do not include any original documents such as birth, adoption or death certificates in your letter.

Child Benefit enquiries

Contact the Child Benefit Office with questions about eligibility, claiming and changing your details.