Take action to avoid benefits being stopped

Parents must inform HMRC of plans

Parents of students who collected their exam results last week and are planning to stay in full-time education must take action to prevent benefits being stopped.

Teenagers going on to study Highers, unpaid training, NVQs and other vocational qualifications up to level three are eligible for child benefit.

However, parents must inform HMRC of their plans so payments are not automatically stopped on August 31.

Forms have been sent to more than 620,000 people whose benefit will stop if they don’t return them. So far, only half have been sent back.

If a child is staying in full- time education or unpaid training the form needs to arrive with HMRC before Friday, August 31, to ensure payments continue.

Customers who have lost their forms can create an online personal tax account to make their declaration online at www.gov.uk/personal-taxaccount.

Angela MacDonald, HMRC director general of customer services, said: “Please let us know if your child is continuing in education or training so that you receive the correct benefits without interruption. Leaving school and collecting exam results is a rite of passage and we want to ensure that our support remains consistent as they take that next step.”

Those taking BTEC courses, university degrees or courses funded by an employer don’t qualify for child benefit.

More detailed information about the training and apprenticeships in Scotland eligible for Child Benefit recipients is available online at www. gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19