Guidance

Child Benefit: service availability and issues

Check the availability and any issues affecting the Child Benefit online service.

• From: HM Revenue & Customs
• Published: 1 January 2014
• Last updated: 15 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 15 October 2026

     Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 21 October 2026 has been added.

  2. 8 October 2026

     The planned downtime from 8am to 11pm on Sunday 11 October 2026 has been changed to 8am to 11am on Sunday 11 October 2026.

  3. 7 October 2026

     Planned downtime from 8am to 11pm on Sunday 11 October 2026 has been added.

  4. 2 October 2026

     Planned downtime from 10pm on Wednesday 14 October 2026 to 2am on Thursday 15 October 2026 has been added.

  5. 1 October 2026

     Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 9 October 2026 to 3am on Saturday 10 October 2026 has been added.

  6. 25 September 2026

     The planned downtime from 8am to 8:30pm on Sunday 27 September 2026 has been added.

  7. 24 September 2026

     Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 30 September 2026 has been added.

  8. 16 September 2026

     Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 18 September 2026 to 2am on Saturday 19 September 2026 has been added.

  9. 9 September 2026

     The planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 9 September 2026 has changed to 6:30pm to 11pm on Thursday 10 September 2026.

  10. 3 September 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 9 September 2026 has been added.

  11. 6 August 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Wednesday 12 August 2026 to 2am Thursday 13 August 2026 has been added.

  12. 20 July 2026

      Planned downtime from 5pm to 9pm on Sunday 26 July 2026 has been added.

  13. 10 July 2026

      Planned downtime from 8am on Saturday 11 July 2026 to 6:30pm on Sunday 12 July 2026 has been added.

  14. 8 July 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 15 July 2026 has been added.

  15. 18 June 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 24 June 2026 has been added.

  16. 3 June 2026

      Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 5 June 2026 to 10am on Saturday 6 June 2026 has been added.

  17. 27 May 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Thursday 28 May 2026 has been added.

  18. 14 May 2026

      Planned downtime from 8pm on Thursday 21 May 2026 to 2am Friday 22 May 2026 has been added.

  19. 5 May 2026

      This service will be unavailable from 6:30 pm to 11pm on Thursday 7 May 2026.

  20. 20 April 2026

      Planned downtime from 8pm on Thursday 30 April 2026 to 2am on Friday 1 May 2026 has been added.

  21. 13 April 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 15 April 2026 has been added.

  22. 17 March 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 18 March 2026 has been added.

  23. 11 March 2026

      The service issue for users who are unable to apply for Child Benefit using the HMRC app has now been resolved.

  24. 5 March 2026

      Planned downtime from 8:25am to 8:40pm on Sunday 8 March 2026 has been added.

  25. 26 February 2026

      Information added in service issues for if you are unable to apply for Child Benefit in the HMRC app.

  26. 24 February 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 25 February 2026 has been added.

  27. 4 February 2026

      The planned downtime from 10pm Friday 6 February to 7am Monday 9 February 2026 has changed. It is now from 7am to 6pm on Saturday 7 February.

  28. 27 January 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Thursday 5 February 2026 has been added.

  29. 14 January 2026

      Planned downtime has been added, covering Friday 23 January 2026 10pm to 7am Monday 26 January 2026 and Friday 6 February 2026 10pm to 7am Monday 9 February 2026.

  30. 8 January 2026

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 14 January 2026 has been added.

  31. 1 December 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 3 December 2025 and from 8pm Friday 5 December 2025 to 2pm Saturday 6 December 2025 has been added.

  32. 27 November 2025

      Planned downtime from 8am to 9:30pm on Sunday 30 November 2025 has been added.

  33. 5 November 2025

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 11 November 2025 to 2am on Wednesday 12 November 2025 has been added.

  34. 22 October 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 12 November 2025 has been added.

  35. 13 October 2025

      Planned downtime from 8am on Sunday 19 October 2025 to 3am on Monday 20 October 2025 has been added.

  36. 8 October 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 22 October 2025 has been added.

  37. 2 October 2025

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 7 October 2025 to 2:30am on Wednesday 8 October 2025 has been added.

  38. 24 September 2025

      Planned downtime from 8am on Sunday 28 September 2025 to 1am Monday 29 September 2025 has been added. The planned downtime from 10pm Wednesday 1 October 2025 to 2am Thursday 2 October 2025 has changed. It is now from 6:30pm Wednesday 1 October 2025 to 2am Thursday 2 October 2025.

  39. 23 September 2025

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 30 September 2025 to 2am Wednesday 1 October 2025 and from 10pm Wednesday 1 October 2025 to 2am Thursday 2 October 2025 has been added.

  40. 16 September 2025

      Planned downtime from 10:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 17 September 2025 has been added.

  41. 12 September 2025

      The Child Benefit online service is currently unavailable.

  42. 9 September 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 10 September 2025 has been added.

  43. 2 September 2025

      Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 13 September 2025 to 10am Sunday 14 September 2025 has been added.

  44. 29 July 2025

      Planned downtime between 6:30pm on Wednesday 30 July 2025 and 6am on Thursday 31 July 2025 has been added.

  45. 15 July 2025

      Full service is now available.

  46. 15 July 2025

      Report Child Benefit changes online service is temporarily unavailable.

  47. 2 July 2025

      Planned downtime from Saturday 12 July 2025 5:30am to 10:30pm Sunday 13 July 2025 has been changed to Saturday 12 July 2025 8:15am to 11:30am Sunday 13 July 2025.

  48. 27 June 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 9 July 2025 has been added.

  49. 17 June 2025

      Planned downtime from Thursday 12 July 2025 5:30am to 10:30pm Sunday 13 July 2025 has been amended, it is from Saturday 12 July 2025 5:30am to 10:30pm Sunday 13 July 2025.

  50. 17 June 2025

      Planned downtime from Thursday 12 July 2025 5:30am to 10:30pm Sunday 13 July 2025 has been added.

  51. 12 June 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 18 June 2025 has been added.

  52. 2 June 2025

      Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 7 June 2025 to 7am on Sunday 8 June 2025 has been added.

  53. 23 May 2025

      Planned downtime from 9:30am to 11am on Sunday 25 May 2025 has been added.

  54. 15 May 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 28 May 2025 has been added.

  55. 30 April 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 7 May 2025 has been added.

  56. 25 April 2025

      Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 3 May 2025 to 7am on Sunday 4 May 2025 has been added.

  57. 12 April 2025

      Planned downtime has been updated from 7:15pm on Friday 11 April 2025 to 10am Saturday 12 April 2025.

  58. 3 April 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11:30pm on Wednesday 9 April 2025 has been added. Planned downtime from 7:15pm on Friday 11 April 2025 to 8:30am Saturday 12 April 2025 has been added.

  59. 17 March 2025

      Planned downtime from 10pm to midnight on Tuesday 18 March 2025 has been added.

  60. 6 March 2025

      Planned downtime from 8:15am to 7:15pm on Sunday 9 March 2025 has been added.

  61. 29 January 2025

      Planned downtime from Friday 7 February 2025 to Monday 10 February 2025 and Friday 21 February 2025 to Sunday 23 February 2025 has been cancelled.

  62. 8 January 2025

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11:30pm on Wednesday 15 January 2025 has been added.

  63. 17 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 17 January 2025 to 7am Monday 20 January 2025, 10pm on Friday 24 January 2025 to 7am Monday 27 January 2025, 10pm on Friday 7 February 2025 to 7am Monday 10 February 2025 and 10pm on Friday 21 February 2025 to 7am Sunday 23 February 2025 has been added.

  64. 11 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Thursday 12 December 2024 has been added.

  65. 9 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 6 December 2024 to 10am on Monday 9 December 2024 has been extended to 1pm on Monday 9 December 2024.

  66. 8 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 6 December 2024 to 10am on Monday 9 December 2024 has been added.

  67. 5 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 6 December 2024 to 2am on Saturday 7 December 2024 and from 8am to 10:30pm on Sunday 8 December 2024 has been changed. The planned downtime is now from 7:30pm on Friday 6 December 2024 to 6pm on Sunday 8 December 2024.

  68. 2 December 2024

      Planned downtime from 7:30pm on Friday 6 December 2024 to 2am on Saturday 7 December 2024 has been added.

  69. 27 November 2024

      Planned downtime from 8am to 10:30pm on Sunday 8 December 2024 has been added.

  70. 25 October 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 29 October 2024 to 12:15am on Wednesday 30 October 2024 has been added.

  71. 18 October 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 7pm on Friday 18 October 2024 has been added.

  72. 7 October 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Tuesday 8 October 2024 to 2am Wednesday 9 October 2024 has been added.

  73. 27 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 6pm to 9pm on Friday 27 September 2024 has been added.

  74. 25 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Wednesday 25 September 2024 will now end at 11pm on Wednesday 25 September 2024.

  75. 24 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Wednesday 25 September 2024 will now end at 2am on Thursday 26 September 2024. Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 6 November 2024 has been added.

  76. 12 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm to 11:59pm on Monday 16 September 2024 has been added.

  77. 9 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 14 September 2024 to 2am on Sunday 15 September 2024 has been changed and is now from 9:30pm on Saturday 14 September 2024 to 1am on Sunday 15 September 2024.

  78. 3 September 2024

      Planned downtime from 3pm to 6pm on Sunday 8 September 2024 has been added.

  79. 30 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm on Wednesday 4 September 2024 will now end at 2am on Thursday 5 September 2024. Planned downtime from 10pm on Saturday 14 September 2024 to 2am on Sunday 15 September 2024 has been added. Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 16 October 2024 has been added.

  80. 13 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 4 September 2024 and 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 25 September 2024 have been added.

  81. 13 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 14 August 2024 has been changed and is now from 6:30pm to 11pm on Thursday 15 August 2024.

  82. 9 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 9am to 11am on Sunday 11 August 2024 has been added.

  83. 6 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30am to 11pm on Wednesday 14 August 2024 has been added.

  84. 1 August 2024

      Planned downtime from 6pm to 7pm on Thursday 1 August 2024 has been added.

  85. 17 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Wednesday 24 July 2024 has been added.

  86. 15 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 18 July 2024 to midnight on Friday 19 July 2024 has been updated and is now from 10pm to 11:59pm on Thursday 18 July 2024.

  87. 15 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 18 July 2024 to midnight on Friday 19 July 2024 has been added.

  88. 9 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 8am on Saturday 13 July 2024 to 10pm on Sunday 14 July 2024 has been changed and is now from 10pm on Friday 12 July 2024 to 7am Monday 15 July 2024.

  89. 5 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 10pm on Monday 8 July 2024 has been added.

  90. 2 July 2024

      Planned downtime from 8am on Saturday 13 July 2024 to 10pm on Sunday 14 July 2024 has been added.

  91. 19 June 2024

      Planned downtime for 7am on Saturday 22 June 2024 to 9:15pm on Sunday 23 June 2024 has been cancelled.

  92. 11 June 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 10pm on Thursday 13 June 2024 has been added.

  93. 5 June 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 10pm on Tuesday 11 June 2024 has been added.

  94. 5 June 2024

      Planned downtime from 7am on Saturday 22 June 2024 to 9:15pm on Sunday 23 June 2024 has been added.

  95. 21 May 2024

      Planned downtime from 10pm on Wednesday 5 June 2024 to 2am Thursday 6 June 2024 has been added.

  96. 17 May 2024

      Planned downtime from 7pm on Saturday 25 May 2024 to 7am Monday 27 May 2024 has been added.

  97. 16 May 2024

      Removed a service availability message about the the online Child Benefit claim service. The service is now available.

  98. 16 May 2024

      Added a service availability message about the the online Child Benefit claim service being unavailable.

  99. 15 May 2024

      Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 11pm on Tuesday 21 May 2024 has been added.

  100. 10 May 2024

       Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 18 May 2024 to 7am Sunday 19 May 2024 has been added.

  101. 10 May 2024

       Planned downtime from 10:30pm on Saturday 11 May 2024 to 1am Sunday 12 May 2024 has been added.

  102. 24 April 2024

       Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 10pm on Tuesday 30 April 2024 has been added.

  103. 11 April 2024

       Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 11 April 2024 to 2pm Friday 12 April 2024 has been changed and is now from 10pm on Thursday 11 April 2024 to 2am Friday 12 April 2024.

  104. 11 April 2024

       Planned downtime from 10pm on Thursday 11 April 2024 to 2pm on Friday 12 April 2024 has been added.

  105. 3 April 2024

       Planned downtime from 7pm to 10pm on Friday 5 April 2024 has been added.

  106. 5 March 2024

       Planned downtime from 6am to 10pm on Sunday 10 March 2024 has been changed and is now from 7am to 11pm on Sunday 10 March 2024.

  107. 27 February 2024

       Planned downtime from 6am to 10pm on Sunday 10 March 2024 has been added.

  108. 15 February 2024

       Planned downtime from 7am to 10:30pm on Sunday 18 February 2024 has been changed and is now from 6am to 11:45pm on Sunday 18 February 2024. Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 23 February 2024 to 7am on Sunday 25 February 2024 has been added.

  109. 1 February 2024

       Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 9 February 2024 to 7am on Monday 12 February 2024 has been added.

  110. 31 January 2024

       Planned downtime from 7am to 10:30pm on Sunday 18 February 2024 has been added.

  111. 5 December 2023

       Planned downtime from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 9 December 2023 has been changed and is now from 9am to 6:30pm on Saturday 9 December 2023.

  112. 30 November 2023

       Planned downtime from 9am to 5pm on Saturday 9 December 2023 has been added.

  113. 15 September 2023

       Planned downtime from 8am to 7pm on Sunday 8 October 2023 has been added.

  114. 19 June 2023

       Planned downtime from midday Friday 23 June 2023 to 7am Monday 26 June 2023 has been added.

  115. 13 August 2021

       Planned downtime from 2pm to 4pm Saturday 21 August 2021 has been added.

  116. 22 June 2021

       Planned downtime from 6am on Saturday 26 June 2021 to 9pm Sunday 27 June 2021 has been added.

  117. 21 June 2021

       Planned downtime from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Tuesday 29 June 2021 has been added.

  118. 24 July 2020

       Planned downtime from 8am to 4pm on Saturday 1 August 2020 has been added.

  119. 10 July 2020

       Planned downtime from 8am to 4pm on Saturday 18 July 2020 has been added.

  120. 26 June 2020

       Planned downtime from 8am to 4pm on Saturday 4 July 2020 has been added.

  121. 16 June 2020

       Planned downtime from 8am to 4pm on Saturday 20 June 2020 has been added.

  122. 19 May 2020

       Planned downtime from 10pm Friday 22 May 2020 to 8pm Sunday 24 May 2020 has been changed to 8am on Saturday 23 May 2020 to 4pm Monday 25 May 2020.

  123. 15 May 2020

       Planned downtime from 10pm on Friday 15 May 2020 to 5pm Saturday 16 May 2020 and from 10pm on Friday 22 May 2020 to 8pm Sunday 24 May 2020 have been added.

  124. 8 November 2018

       Service issue for Thursday 8 November 2018 from 6pm to 11pm has been added.

  125. 24 December 2015

       Service issues section has been updated.

  126. 23 September 2015

       Planned downtime has been added to this page.

  127. 1 January 2014

       First published.

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Child Benefit — service availability and issues

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Latest updates on the availability and any issues affecting the Child Benefit online service.