Child benefit and guardian’s allowance

If your child is in a care home, your child benefit – and guardian’s allowance if you get it – continues unaffected for 12 consecutive weeks.1s143(3) SSCBA 1992; regs 9 and 10(1) CB Regs When counting the 12 weeks, two or more periods in a care home which are separated by 28 days or less count as the same period.2Reg 10(2) CB Regs See here for more details of how this rule works. After 12 weeks, your child benefit (and guardian’s allowance) continues, provided you spend money on your child’s behalf – eg, on clothing, pocket money, snacks, books, comics and toys or on fares to visit her/him.3s143(4) SSCBA 1992 The amount of money you must spend is not stipulated. If you do not spend any money on your child’s behalf, your child benefit stops after 20 weeks in a care home.4s143(2) SSCBA 1992, 12 weeks’ ‘care home’ absence plus eight weeks’ ‘normal’ absence

 

1     s143(3) SSCBA 1992; regs 9 and 10(1) CB Regs »

2     Reg 10(2) CB Regs »

3     s143(4) SSCBA 1992 »

4     s143(2) SSCBA 1992, 12 weeks’ ‘care home’ absence plus eight weeks’ ‘normal’ absence  »