I need proof that I get Child Benefit

Where the proof comes from

Who can get it

GOV.UK says you normally qualify for Child Benefit if you are responsible for a child under 16 and you live in the UK, and that you will normally still qualify if your child is under 20 and stays in approved education or training.

GOV.UK says that by claiming Child Benefit you can get an allowance paid to you for each child, National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension, and a National Insurance number for your child without them having to apply. The child will usually get the number shortly before they turn 16.

GOV.UK's Child Benefit guide says you get National Insurance credits automatically if you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12, and that these credits count towards your State Pension.

Information, not advice: whether a school, employer, lender, embassy or other organisation accepts a particular document as proof is for that organisation to say.

Got a letter from HMRC? Paste it into the checker for a plain-English identification.

Your options

1. Use your Child Benefit award notice

   GOV.UK says Child Benefit award notices have replaced Child Benefit numbers as the main way to prove your eligibility, and that you will not have a Child Benefit number if you first claimed after 23 February 2021.

2. Print or save your proof of entitlement page

   GOV.UK says you need to sign in to use the online service, and can create sign in details if you do not already have them. You are told when you sign in if you need to prove your identity, which normally involves photo ID like a passport or driving licence.

3. Use the HMRC app or your personal tax account

   GOV.UK's Child Benefit enquiries page says you can use the official HMRC app to manage your Child Benefit claim, including making a new claim, viewing payment information, amending your claim and updating your details. GOV.UK's page on the personal tax account lists checking your Child Benefit among the things you can do there.

4. Ask the Child Benefit Office

   GOV.UK says you will need your National Insurance number when you call, and that HMRC can only discuss your claim with you or someone you have authorised as your representative. A partner or someone else can get general advice, but they must be authorised to discuss a claim.

GOV.UK says only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

Getting the proof online

The links below go to the GOV.UK page that sets out the options, to the online service and to the HMRC app.

• GOV.UK: Prove you qualify for Child BenefitWhat you can use to prove you qualify: the award notice, a bank statement, or your proof of entitlement page.
• GOV.UK: Your proof of entitlement page (online service, sign in needed)The online service where you can print or save your proof of entitlement page. You need to sign in.
• GOV.UK: Download the HMRC appHow to get the app for iOS and Android and sign in to it.

Contacting the Child Benefit Office

HMRC's Child Benefit helpline is 0300 200 3100 (+44 161 210 3086 from outside the UK), Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, closed on bank holidays. GOV.UK says to have your National Insurance number, and that HMRC's digital assistant can also help with the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

GOV.UK says you can write to HMRC if you have a question about Child Benefit and cannot find the answer in the official HMRC app. The address is HM Revenue and Customs, Child Benefit Office, PO Box 1, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE88 1AA, United Kingdom.

GOV.UK says you must report any change of circumstances to the Child Benefit Office.

• GOV.UK: Child Benefit, enquiriesHow to contact HMRC about Child Benefit: online, by phone and by post.
• GOV.UK: Check when you can expect a reply from HMRCA tool that shows when you can expect a reply from HMRC to a query or request, including about Child Benefit.

If you disagree with a decision

GOV.UK says that if you disagree with a decision about your claim you can challenge it, which is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

GOV.UK says a request to HMRC to look again at a Child Benefit or Guardian's Allowance decision usually needs to be made within one month of the original decision.

A letter about the High Income Child Benefit Charge

A letter or text from HMRC about the High Income Child Benefit Charge is a different thing from proof of entitlement, and Tax Letters has a separate guide to it.

• Tax Letters: the High Income Child Benefit Charge letterWhat the charge is and the options GOV.UK sets out.

If you choose not to take the payments

GOV.UK says that if you choose not to get Child Benefit payments, you should still make a claim to get the other advantages.

If you are waiting for a reply

GOV.UK has a tool for checking when you can expect a reply from HMRC to a query or request you have made about Child Benefit, among other things. GOV.UK says the information in the tool is updated weekly.

If you want to ask an adviser

• Which document does the organisation asking for proof accept: the award notice, the proof of entitlement page or a bank statement?
• How recent does the proof have to be for this purpose?
• My claim is in my partner's name: who can ask for proof, and what do they need to show?
• I opted out of the payments: does the proof I can get still show that I am registered for Child Benefit?