Child Benefit — deadlines and rules for refugees
You got refugee status — apply for Child Benefit straight away. From 7 April 2025 the maximum backdating (getting paid for past time) is only 3 months from your status date. Every week you wait is money lost. Do not wait for BRP or eVisa — apply using your Home Office letter.
- Today or tomorrow — open form CH2 at gov.uk/child-benefit
- Put the date of your Home Office decision letter as the start date
- Attach your Home Office letter + children's birth certificates
- Do not wait for BRP or eVisa — this is confirmed by HMRC v BZ [2022] UKUT 264 (AAC)
7 April 2025 — what changed
Refugees who got status BEFORE 7 April 2025 can claim backdating from the date of their original asylum claim. This could be years of payments (minus any Section 95 support you received). Contact HMRC or a solicitor for a calculation. The start date is the date of your Home Office decision letter (HMRC v BZ [2022] UKUT 264 (AAC)).
Refugees who got status on or after 7 April 2025 (SI 2025/207; HMRC CBTM10140): maximum backdating is 3 months from the decision date. If you got status on 1 January 2026 — the earliest backdating is 1 October 2025. Every day you lose is money lost.
How much — from 6 April 2026
The two-child limit never applied to Child Benefit. Child Benefit is paid for every child with no limit. The two-child limit only existed in UC and legacy Tax Credits — and in UC it is removed from 6 April 2026.
NRPF — you cannot get Child Benefit
If you have the NRPF condition (No Recourse to Public Funds — no access to public funds), getting Child Benefit is a criminal offence (Section 115 IAA 1999, Schedule 3 NIAA 2002) and a breach of your visa conditions. This could lead to refusal of future applications to extend your status.
Citizens of some countries can get Child Benefit even with NRPF — under bilateral agreements: Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Switzerland. Also possibly: Barbados, Canada, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Mauritius, New Zealand. Contact an OISC-registered adviser to check your specific situation.
If your household income is high — still register
HICBC (High Income Child Benefit Charge — a tax on Child Benefit when you have a high income):
it starts when your adjusted income is £60,000 (1% for every £200 above).
At £80,000+ — you pay back the full amount through tax.
But even with a high income, register — registering protects your National Insurance credits
(important for your pension). If you do not want to pay HICBC — choose opt-out from payments, but stay registered.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply for Child Benefit after getting refugee status?
Straight away — in the first few days. From 7 April 2025: maximum backdating is 3 months from your status. Apply 6 months later — you lose 3 months of payments.
Can NRPF families get Child Benefit?
No. NRPF directly bans it. Getting it while on NRPF is a criminal offence and a visa breach. Rare exceptions under social security agreements — Israel, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Macedonia.
Is the two-child limit removed for Child Benefit?
The two-child limit never applied to Child Benefit. Child Benefit is paid for every child. The two-child limit in UC is removed from 6 April 2026.
When does backdating start before 7 April 2025?
If you got status BEFORE 7 April 2025 — the start date is the date of your Home Office decision (HMRC v BZ [2022] UKUT 264). Do not wait for BRP or eVisa.
What is Guardian's Allowance?
Guardian's Allowance £24.30/week — for guardians of orphaned children (kinship carers). It is paid on top of Child Benefit if both parents have died or one died and the other is unknown/in prison.