Who can get Child Benefit
You can get Child Benefit if you are responsible for a child aged under 16, or a young person aged under 20 if they are still in full-time education up to A level or equivalent, or on certain approved training courses. In England, you can also get it for a young person who is on a 16-19 study programme. You may also get Child Benefit for a young person who has been accepted on a course. This means that most parents can get Child Benefit, but you can also get it if you are bringing up a child and you are not the biological parent. You cannot usually get Child Benefit for a child you are fostering or for a child who is in local authority care or in prison.
You get Child Benefit for each child you are responsible for. Usually, you and your child have to be living in the UK to claim Child Benefit. If you have come to live in the UK on or after 1 July 2014 you need to live in the UK for three months before you can claim child benefit. However, you may be exempt from this rule if, for example, you are:
an EEA worker or self-employed person, or the family member of an EEA worker or self-employed person
someone who retains the status of an EEA worker or a self-employed person because, for example, you are temporarily unable to work due to illness
a non-EEA national who is working or self-employed in the UK and you are not restricted from receiving Child Benefit because of your immigration status
a refugee or someone who has been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK or humanitarian protection.
someone who used to live in the UK and you have been away for less than one year