Guardian's Allowance

If you are claiming Child Benefit for bringing up a child who is not your own, perhaps because their parents have died and you are now the child’s guardian, you may be entitled to Guardian’s Allowance. In order to qualify for Guardian’s Allowance then one of the following scenarios must apply to your situation:

• The child’s parents are both dead
• One parent is dead and after searching you have been unable to find the second parent
• The parents were divorced, one parent is dead and the other does not pay maintenance nor have custody of the child
• The parents were not married, the mother is dead and the father is unknown
• One parent is dead, the other in prison with more than two years still to serve
• One parent is dead, the other in hospital and detained on legal grounds, for example under the Mental Health Act

The child in question must also have been born to parent(s) who were either:

• Born in the UK
• A national of a country in the European Economic Area, or EEA, insured for UK social security
• A family member of a national of a country in the EEA, insured for UK social security
• Present in the UK, or serving in the British armed forces, for at least one year since their sixteenth birthday

If the child in question meets the requirements you should claim Guardian’s Allowance as soon as you are responsible for them. It is advised to apply for Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance at the same time. You will need to complete a Guardian’s Allowance claim form and send any relevant birth and death certificates.

If you are eligible to receive the Allowance you will be entitled to an extra £12.95 a week, which will be paid into an account you nominate via direct debit. Guardian’s Allowance can be paid either weekly or monthly as you wish. If your circumstances change you must inform the benefits service as soon as possible to enable them to ensure you are receiving the money to which you are entitled at all times.