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Child Benefit - Which partner should be claiming?

Are you a househusband and claiming Child Benefit? If not, perhaps you should be!

In most households, the child's mother is named as the claimant for Child Benefit. However, where the husband or partner is not working, the benefit should be claimed by him. This will qualify him for Home Responsibilities Protection, which will frank his national Insurance contribution record for pension purposes.

Applications to transfer the benefit claim from the mother to her partner for any tax year starting 6 April must be made by no later than 5 July of that year. It is too late therefore to make a change for the year ended 5 April 2008 but to apply for a transfer from 6 April 2008, telephone the Child Benefit Office on 0845 302 1444.

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