Benefits for children in social security agreement countries
UK Child Benefit can be paid if you are responsible for a child or young person in any week. Agreements exist with the countries listed below.
If you are getting Child Benefit and you go to one of these countries, but you are not leaving the UK for good, you can usually be paid UK Child Benefit for the first eight weeks you are away. In the case of New Zealand, you can usually get UK Child Benefit for the first 26 weeks you are away.
Barbados
The Agreement with Barbados may also allow you to get Child Benefit at other times if
- the child you are claiming for is also in Barbados; and
- you (or your husband or wife if you go with them) are in Barbados and still insured under the UK scheme, and you would have got Child Benefit if both you and your child were in the UK.
Canada
If you are leaving the UK for good, your Child Benefit will stop from the Monday following your date of departure. If you are ordinarily resident in the UK and make a claim for Child Benefit, any time that you (or the child for whom you are claiming benefit) have spent in Canada will be treated as time during which you (or the child) have been resident or present in the UK.
Israel
If you can get both UK and Israeli Child Benefit for the same child, you will only be paid by the country where the child is residing.
Jersey and Guernsey
The agreement with Jersey or Guernsey may also allow you to get Child Benefit at other times if
- you (or your husband or wife if you go with them) go to work in Jersey or Guernsey temporarily; and
- you continue to pay UK National Insurance contributions.
If you or your family are living together in Jersey, Guernsey or the UK, and payment of Child Benefit has stopped because you move between these countries, then a claim for Child Benefit should be made to the authorities of the country to which you move. Periods of staying or living in any of the other countries may help your claim for Child Benefit.
If your family live in the UK but you live in Jersey or Guernsey, UK Child Benefit will normally be paid. If you can get both UK and Jersey or Guernsey Child Benefit for the same child, you will only be paid by the country the child is living in.
Mauritius
If you can get both UK and Mauritius Child Benefit for the same child, you will only be paid by the country the child is living in.
New Zealand
If you are leaving the UK for good, your Child Benefit will stop from the Monday following your date of departure. If you and your family normally live in the UK, any period of residence or presence in New Zealand may help you to get British Child Benefit.
Republics of the former Yugoslavia
The agreement with the Republic may also allow you to get Child Benefit at other times if
- you (or your husband or wife if you go with them) go to work in the Republic; and
- you continue to pay UK National Insurance contributions.
If you are not insured under the UK scheme, but you are ordinarily resident, or employed, in the Republic, you may be able to get children's allowances under the Republic's scheme. In this case if you were born in the UK you will be treated as if you had been born in the Republic. Or periods of residence, presence or employment in the UK can be treated as periods of residence, presence or employment in the Republic.
Similar provisions apply if you come to the UK from the Republic and you are ordinarily resident here.
