Parents of newborns will still be able to claim Child Benefit despite the outbreak of coronavirus, HMRC has announced.

Even though General Register Offices remain closed for now, parents can still claim Child Benefit without having to register their child’s birth first to ensure that they do not miss out.

First-time parents will need to fill in Child Benefit Claim form CH2 found online and send it to the Child Benefit Office. If they haven’t registered the birth because of COVID–19, they should add a note with their claim to let HMRC know.

If parents already claim Child Benefit, they can complete the form or add their newborn’s details over the telephone on 0300 200 3100. You will need your National Insurance number or Child Benefit number.

Child Benefit claims can be backdated by up to three months.

This announcement is timely as child benefit payments increase from 6 April to a weekly rate of £21.05 for the first child and £13.95 for each additional child. Child Benefit is paid into your bank account, usually every 4 weeks.

Only one person can claim Child Benefit for a child. For couples with one partner not working or paying National Insurance contributions, making the claim in their name will help protect their State Pension.