The Guardian Allowance rate is: £21.75 a week per child tax-free paid on top of your Child Benefit payments How the money is paid Usually, the money is paid into a bank account every 4 weeks. It can be paid weekly if you’re a single parent or getting certain other benefits, such as Income Support. You can get the money paid into any account, apart from a Nationwide Building Society account in someone else’s name. Effect on other benefits Guardian’s Allowance does not count as income if you’re claiming tax credits, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance. Guardian’s Allowance is not affected by the High Income Child Benefit charge . If you decide not to be paid Child Benefit your Guardian’s Allowance can continue. Guardian’s Allowance does not count towards the benefit cap . Use a benefits calculator to work out what benefits you can get.

To get Guardian’s Allowance all of the following must apply: you’re bringing up someone else’s child the child’s parents are dead (see conditions for one surviving parent below) you qualify for Child Benefit One of the parents must also have been either: born in the UK or a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland living in the UK since the age of 16 for at least 52 weeks in any 2-year period If you adopt a child you may still get Guardian’s Allowance as long as you were getting it before you adopted the child. If there is one surviving parent You could get Guardian’s Allowance if one of the following is true: you do not know where the surviving parent is and you’ve made a reasonable effort to contact them the parents were divorced or their civil partnership had ended (‘dissolved’), the surviving parent does not have custody and is not maintaining the child and there is not a court order in place saying they should the parents were not married, the mother has died and the father is unknown the surviving parent will be in prison for at least 2 years from the date of death of the other parent the surviving parent is in a hospital by court order Use a benefits calculator to check the benefits you’re entitled to.

To avoid losing money, claim Guardian’s Allowance as soon as the child comes to live with you. Fill in the claim form (BG1) . Send it to the Guardian’s Allowance Unit with the child’s full birth certificate and the parents’ death certificates (or certificate if one parent has died) - send originals. You should also claim Child Benefit as soon as possible. Guardian’s Allowance can be backdated for up to 3 months. You can also call the Guardian’s Allowance Unit and ask for a claim pack. If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Guardian's Allowance

Q: Changes to your circumstances

If your circumstances change, your entitlement to Guardian’s Allowance could be affected or your payments could stop. You must report the following changes straight away: the child goes to live with someone else you go abroad, either temporarily (for more than 8 weeks) or permanently (for more than 1 year) the child leaves full-time education or approved training your bank or contact details change you find out where the surviving parent is the surviving parent comes out of hospital or prison (or has their sentence shortened) the surviving parent makes a payment towards their child’s upkeep You can report these changes by phone or post .

Overview

You could get Guardian’s Allowance if you’re bringing up a child whose parents have died. You may also be eligible if there’s one surviving parent.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

The Guardian’s Allowance rate is £21.75 a week. You get it on top of Child Benefit and it’s tax-free.

You must tell the Guardian’s Allowance Unit about certain changes to your circumstances.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Guardian's Allowance

Overview

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

Cookies on GOV.UK

Guardian's Allowance

Overview

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK