6. Guardian’s allowance
This is a tax-free benefit for anyone looking after a child who is effectively an orphan. You can get guardian’s allowance if you are responsible for a child who is not your birth or adopted child and both parents of the child are dead, or one is dead and the other is:
■missing; or
■serving a prison sentence of at least two years; or
■detained in a hospital under certain sections of the Mental Health Act 1983 (or equivalent legislation).
& , reg 7
Guardian’s allowance is £22.10 a week and does not depend on your income or savings or whether you have paid national insurance contributions. It can be paid in addition to child benefit. If you receive guardian’s allowance, your household will be exempt from the benefit cap (see
Chapter 15(10) and
Box F.6).
Claim on form BG1 (call 0300 200 3100; textphone 0300 200 3100 or download it from ).