Further information on parents and children outside the UK

Below is a list of questions that are answered in this section.

Question

How will HM Revenue & Customs know if a child is no longer living in the UK?

What happens to the Child Trust Fund (CTF) account when children move away from the UK? Will a child lose the CTF account if they leave the UK?

If a child returns to the UK after their 7th birthday will they get the age 7 payment?

How much will a child get if they first move to live in the UK after their 7th birthday?

What if the parent lives in the UK with their child but works in another country so that country pays Child Benefit. Will their child get a CTF voucher?

What if a child goes to school abroad but lives in the UK during the holidays?

What happens if the parent is only in the UK for a short time but gets Child Benefit?

Are children entitled to the CTF as soon as they move to the UK?

What happens if a child lives abroad, but the parent works in the UK?

Are children born outside the UK whose parents are UK citizens entitled to the CTF?

Answer

Q. How will HM Revenue & Customs know if a child is no longer living in the UK?
A. People who leave the UK are required to inform the Child Benefit Office. The Child Benefit Office updates its records regularly.

Q. What happens to the CTF account when children move away from the UK? Will a child lose the CTF account if they leave the UK?
A. The account will remain open and family and friends will be able to continue saving in the account. It is possible to make payments into CTF accounts from abroad. No further Government contributions will be made while the child is away from the UK (e.g. at age 7).

Q. If a child returns to the UK after their 7th birthday will they get the age 7 payment?
A. The child needs to be living in the UK on their 7th birthday to get this payment. They will not get it if they move to, or return to, the UK after their 7th birthday.

Q. How much will a child get if they first move to live in the UK after their 7th birthday?
A. When Child Benefit is first awarded, a voucher to open a CTF account will be issued. The voucher will be for the amount of the initial payment current at that time. They will not receive the payment due at age 7 if they were not in the UK and receiving Child Benefit at that time.

Q. What if the parent lives in the UK with their child but works in another country so that country pays Child Benefit. Will their child get a CTF voucher?
A. Yes. Where the parents and child live in the UK but only one parent works and this is in another country, European legislation means that Child Benefit is payable by that other country. The most usual case is where the family lives in Northern Ireland but a parent works in the Republic of Ireland. The child will be eligible for a CTF account because Child Benefit has been awarded for a child living in the UK although European legislation means it is paid by another country. In many cases, the Child Benefit Office in the UK will hold the necessary information to issue a voucher automatically without parents having to contact them. But if they think their child is eligible because of this rule and they haven’t received a voucher, they should contact the CTF Helpline (see contact us button at the top of the page).

Q. What if a child goes to school abroad but lives in the UK during the holidays?
A. If the parents normally live in the UK with their child, they will continue to be eligible for Child Benefit if the child goes abroad temporarily for up to 12 weeks, so long as they are supporting their child. If the child is temporarily abroad for more than 12 weeks, they may still get Child Benefit if they are at school in an EEA country or Switzerland. This would mean their child remains eligible for Government payments into their CTF account (e.g. at age 7).

Q. What happens if the parent is only in the UK for a short time but gets Child Benefit?
A. If a parent is living legally in the UK with their child, and is receiving Child Benefit, the child will be eligible for a CTF account.

Q. Are children entitled to the CTF as soon as they move to the UK?
A. CTF eligibility is linked to the award of Child Benefit. There can be some restrictions on benefits claims by people who have recently come in to the UK from abroad, even if they are UK Nationals, and parents may not get Child Benefit immediately. As soon as Child Benefit is awarded a CTF voucher can be issued.

More about Child Benefit eligibility on the HM Revenue & Customs website

Q. What happens if a child lives abroad, but the parent works in the UK?
A. One of the purposes of the CTF is to encourage savings in the UK population, so the CTF is not available to children living abroad. A child becomes eligible in the usual way on moving to live in the UK if Child Benefit is awarded.

Q. Are children born outside the UK whose parents are UK citizens entitled to the CTF?
A. The general rule is that parents cannot claim Child Benefit if they are not living in the UK. If the family returns to the UK and Child Benefit is awarded, then the child will be entitled to a CTF account and will receive the initial payment at the rate current when Child Benefit is awarded. The exception to this is children of Ministry of Defence families and other Crown servants who are entitled to Child Benefit and therefore the CTF when based overseas.