Child benefit claim form - change partner claiming

Dorothy60

Hello Friends

I really hope that someone can help me.  I understand that my son can claim CB for his younger child to get credits for his SP as he is low earner SE and does not pay NI.  Been sent a claim form which I've volunteered to help fill out and it looks very confusing to me.  Has anyone on here done this?  Can anyone help guide me through it, please?

Please say yes!!  Find form filling so hard and didn't sleep for worrying about it

Thanks in advance

Dotty

poppy12345

He will only get the credits if the child is under 12 years old. https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/protecting-your-state-pension-when-you-have-a-baby

If they are then what are you stuck on?

Dorothy60

Hi Poppy, thanks so much for replying - yes, I know you can only claim until child is 12, so that's why I thought best to choose youngest who's 7.  TBH the whole form is very daunting and haven't started filling it in yet - just thought I'd reach out to see if anyone can help me if and WHEN I do get stuck on something. Trying to do this while WFH so not easy!

I'll post again and if you can possibly help guide me through it I would really, really appreciate it

Thank you

Dorothy60

Right, have started to fill form in - Q12 have you claimed for CB for any chidren before - is the answer no?  His partener currently claims for both children.

Q13 are you currently entitled to CB?  if answer is yes give name and DOB for eldest child - do we fill that in?  Again, partner claiming at present.

Sorry, so confusing, if no one can help I will have to try to ring them again but am hold for so long when I do that I want to avoid it if possible

calcotti

Dorothy60 said:

Hi Poppy, thanks so much for replying - yes, I know you can only claim until child is 12, so that's why I thought best to choose youngest who's 7.  TBH the whole form is very daunting and haven't started filling it in yet - just thought I'd reach out to see if anyone can help me if and WHEN I do get stuck on something. Trying to do this while WFH so not easy!

I'll post again and if you can possibly help guide me through it I would really, really appreciate it

Thank you

Your question raises a lot of issues besides how to complete the form.
CB is normally claimed immediately after the birth so I am not clear what his situation is. Is he a single parent with children who normally live with him.  If so if he is a responsible for more than one child why isn't he claiming Child Benefit for all of the children. It's money quite apart from NI credits. Or is the mother already claiming CB for them? He cannot claim CB for a child if mother already claiming CB for same child.
As regards the form, it is a very straightforward factual form and even if you struggle with forms you should be able to manage most of it. If not do you have a friend/neighbour who could help him/you? Are their any particular questions you don't understand?

poppy12345

Dorothy60 said:

Right, have started to fill form in - Q12 have you claimed for CB for any chidren before - is the answer no?  His partener currently claims for both children.

Q13 are you currently entitled to CB?  if answer is yes give name and DOB for eldest child - do we fill that in?  Again, partner claiming at present.

Sorry, so confusing, if no one can help I will have to try to ring them again but am hold for so long when I do that I want to avoid it if possible

He can't claim child benefit for the child because his partner is already claiming it.

Robbie64

Assuming Child Benefit for the child is already in payment to his partner then the son can take over the claim so long as the partner agrees. If she doesn't agree then it's not as straightforward.

If the partner agrees to your son being the claimant then the partner would need to ring Child Benefit Centre to set the wheels in motion for a claim to be swapped.

Dorothy60

Thanks everyone for your replies - we phoned the CB office and they took all details and agreed that claim can be swapped to allow son to get the credits towards SP and send this form out.  They are a couple and money all goes into same pot - he's really not interested in the money per se - just the credits towards his SP.  Actually it was reading something on this site that spurred them on to do this. 

I guess I will just have to do my best and hopefully they will phone son with any queries - it sounds so easy when you read the info on MSE but the form is so confusing in this regard

I was hoping that someone on here had done the same thing and could advise how they filled out the form

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to reply

ZaSa1418

Hi Dorothy, i have done this but looks like it's been sorted on the phone now.  

calcotti

If there is anything you are not clear about answer it as best you can and write a note explaining why you have answered that way, It's the advantage of paper forms - you can scrawl as much additional information on them as you deem necessary.