education is compulsory

Education Not at a Recognised Establishment

Education Otherwise than at a recognised establishment is covered in DMG11100.

Decision Makers Guide - DMG11100

Education not at a recognised establishment

Where the education is not at a recognised educational establishment, (for example at home) the decision maker must recognise the education for the student to be regarded as a young person.

Child Benefit is not payable for Higher Education

The 12+ hours of education must be "non-advanced." Non-advanced education is defined in DMG 11095.

Essentially, the course of study must not be above Level 3. Up to and including Level 3 is deemed to be “further education" but Level 4 and above are deemed to be "higher education" and if the young person is in higher education, Child Benefit is not payable.

More information about course levels can be found here.

"Qualifying Young Person" Age 16-20

As stated on the DirectGov website:

"The Child Benefit Office can carry on paying Child Benefit up until the age of 20 if your child goes into relevant education or training. Your child would need to have either been accepted, enrolled or started on the course before the age of 19"

HMRC website says:

If your child is 19 and goes back into qualifying education or training, you can make another claim for Child Benefit as long as they were enrolled or accepted for the education or training before their 19th birthday

Changes You Need to Report to the Child Benefit Office

HMRC website says:

You must tell the Child Benefit Office about changes to your child's education or training, whether they begin or finish education, (including home education) after the age of 16

Unsure About Going to College

In cases where it is not known whether the young person will be attending college (for example when waiting for news of a college place or exam results in relation to a conditional offer) it might be sensible to tell HMRC that the young person will be continuing in full-time home education.

The form which home educators need is Form CHFTE4 HMRC 04/13.

You can always update HMRC with a different place of full-time education from home ie college, whereas it is harder to explain "no longer going to college" as "being home educated."

We are aware of families where Child Benefit was still paid after the young person left a college course to continue education at home.

HMRC Full Time Education Section

Many of the Child Benefit Enquiry Line operators are not aware of the rules applicable to home educators and can give out wrong information. If you contact them and are told that your Child Benefit will be stopped, ask for your enquiry to be directed to the Full Time Education Section so that you can get the correct information (you cannot contact this section directly). Should you need further advice, you could consult the Citizens' Advice Bureau as they have a direct line to CB. You can also quote this web page and the Decision Makers Guide references.