If You are Claiming Child Benefit

You may already be claiming Child Benefit when a child dies. If so, you should inform the Child Benefit Office without delay.

In most cases, Child Benefit payments will continue for another eight (8) weeks after the death of the child.

What if the child died before you made the actual claim for Child Benefit? In this case, you may still qualify for some of the payments.

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Death of a Newborn Baby

You keep the entitlement for up to 8 weeks of Child Benefit even if a newborn baby dies. But, you must make the claim within three (3) months of the baby’s death.

It might happen that the infant died before the end of the week they were born. If so, the 8 week period begins on the first Monday following the death.

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If a Child is Stillborn

There is no provision for claiming Child Benefit if a child is stillborn. But, you should still register a stillbirth.

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If You get Tax Credits

Your payments are likely to change if your child dies and you are claiming tax credits. You must inform the Tax Credit Office about any changes affecting tax credits. You must do so within one (1) month of the child’s death. Failing to inform them means:

• You may need to pay back any tax credit overpayment.
• You might not receive all the money that you qualify for.

Tax credits usually continue for up to eight (8) weeks after the death of a child. You can still claim even if they died before you completed the claim (unless it was a stillborn child).

You can phone the Tax Credits Office for general enquiries or to request a claim form. You can also get face to face or hotline advice if you have special needs.

Textphone: 0345 300 3900
Textphone: 0345 300 3909
From outside the United Kingdom: +44 2890 538 192
Find out about free phone calls and 0345 charges.

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The Sure Start Maternity Grant

Providing you qualify you can still claim for the Sure Start Maternity Grant. But, a claim should get made within three (3) months of the birth date.

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Maternity and Paternity Leave and Pay

As a rule, you should qualify for statutory maternity leave and pay providing your baby:

• Dies after being born.
• Is stillborn after the beginning of the 24th week of the pregnancy.

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Child Trust Fund Payments

Several things happens when a child dies with money in a Child Trust Fund account. As a rule the money, along with any payments from the government, will pass to whoever inherits the estate of the child.

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