Claim and deal with Child Benefit for someone else

Skip to contents of guide

Authorisation

The Child Benefit Helpline can only discuss a claim with the person named on the claim form (or their appointee). A partner or someone else can get general advice but they must be ‘authorised’ to discuss a claim with the helpline.

The process is different if you act for a lot of clients or you’re a paid agent.

Get authorised

The claimant must fill in form TC689, or write a letter with the same information, and send it to the Tax Credit Office - the address is on the form.

The authorisation lasts 12 months unless a different end date is put on the form. It usually takes 2 days to get authorised from when your form is received. Usually, you won’t get a letter confirming the authorisation.

The Child Benefit Office will also need to have received the claimant’s Child Benefit claim form.

More than one person can be authorised but they each must send a TC689 form.

If you act for a lot of clients

Write to the Tax Credit Office to register as an ‘intermediary organisation’ if you work in the voluntary sector and act for many people.

You can get urgent authorisation online if you’re an intermediary organisation and you have a completed TC689. You must keep your client’s completed TC689 for 7 years from the date it was signed.

If you’re a paid agent

Your client must send a letter to the Child Benefit Office, saying you can deal with Child Benefit on their behalf.

To authorise you to deal with High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge matters they also need to fill in form CH995.

Cancel an authorisation

An authorisation can be cancelled by writing to the Child Benefit Office.