Guardian’s Allowance

If you look after a child who is not your own, you may be eligible to claim Guardian’s Allowance. This is extra money on top of Child Benefit.

How much could I get?

The 2025/26 rate for Guardian’s Allowance is £22.10 a week. You get it on top of Child Benefit and it’s tax-free. per child. For one child that adds up to £1,149.20 per year (52 weeks), or £2,298.40 per year for two children.

The payment is tax-free and made every 4 weeks. You may be able to have it paid every week if you are a single parent or receive certain other benefits.

Payments can be backdated up to 3 months from when you first claim.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Guardian’s Allowance, you must:

• Be responsible for a child who is not your own. You must be caring for them either because:
  • They have no living parents (if they have a living step-parent, you may still be eligible)
  • One parent is dead and you don’t where their other parent is, and have made reasonable efforts to try to find them
  • Their mother is dead and nobody knows who their father is
  • They have one living parent but that parent is in prison for at least another 2 years
  • They have one living parent but that parent is in hospital by court order and will be for at least another 2 years
  • They have one living parent but that parent does not have custody
• Qualify for Child Benefit
• At least one of the child’s parents was either:
  • Born in the UK
  • Has lived in the UK since the age of 16
  • Has lived in the UK for at least 1 year in any 2-year period since the death of the deceased parent

How do I claim?

To apply for Guardian’s Allowance, you need to fill in a BG1 form. You can do this either online or by requesting a paper form to be sent to you.

You’ll need to know your National Insurance number when making a claim and have the child’s original birth certificate.

Depending on your circumstances, you may also need their parent’s death certificate, the child’s adoption certificate or custody documents. You must send the original certificates with your application, not photocopies. The certificates will be returned to you.

If you require an adapted form due to a disability or sensory impairment, contact:

• Guardian’s Allowance Helpline (open 8:30am – 4pm, Monday – Friday): 0300 322 9080
• If you can’t hear or speak, you can use their textphone service: 0300 200 3103

Online form

You can complete the BG1 form online here.

You’ll need to post the certificates separately to:

HM Revenue and Customs – Guardian’s Allowance Unit
Child Benefit Office
PO Box 1
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE88 1AA

Paper form

To request a paper form to complete, call the above phone number or write to the above address and ask for a Guardian’s Allowance claim pack.