GOV.UK
Claim Child Benefit
How to claim
Child Benefit claim form CH2
Fill in a Child Benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit Office with your child’s original birth or adoption certificate.
Child Benefit Office (GB)
Washington
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE88 1ZD
When to claim
It can take up to 12 weeks to process a new Child Benefit claim (or longer if you’re new to the UK).
Claim Child Benefit as soon as your child is born or comes to live with you.
Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months - make your claim as soon as possible.
If you don’t have the birth or adoption certificate, you should still send in your claim form - send the certificate later on when you’ve got it.
You don’t need the birth or adoption certificate if you’ve claimed Child Benefit before and are making a new claim for the same child.
You can order a new birth or adoption certificate if you’ve lost the original.
Claiming Child Benefit for someone else
You may be able to manage someone else’s Child Benefit claim.
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.