Child Benefit if a child or parent dies
If one or both parents die
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
Tell the Child Benefit Office by phone or post as soon as possible about the death.
You do not need to tell the Child Benefit Office if you’ve already used the Tell Us Once service.
You’ll need to confirm:
- the parent’s date of death
- where the child is living now
- who is looking after the child
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 won’t 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.
Once reported, Child Benefit stops from the Monday following the death. It can only be backdated for up to 3 months.
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.
You or your partner may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit tax charge on any Child Benefit you receive.