The short answer
Yes. HMRC says Child Benefit can't be paid if you're on an apprenticeship, because it's a paid job rather than approved education or training. It can carry on (up to age 20) if you stay in full-time non-advanced education like A levels or T Levels. Whoever claims Child Benefit should tell HMRC when you leave education, to avoid having to pay money back.
Key figures
- Child Benefit can continue until this age if you're in certain education or training, accepted before you turn 19
- Age 20
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Average weekly supervised study needed for education to count as full time for Child Benefit
- 12 hours
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Child Benefit stops automatically on 31 August on or after your 16th birthday if HMRC isn't told you're staying in education
- 31 August
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
This is one of the most common questions parents and carers ask, and the answer is short: Child Benefit stops when you start an apprenticeship.
Why it stops
Child Benefit for 16 to 19 year olds is only paid if you’re in certain types of education or training. HMRC is clear that you can’t get it if you’re:
- on an apprenticeship
- doing a course with an employer’s agreement, for example to get a job with that employer
- doing a training course that’s part of a job contract
An apprenticeship is a paid job, so it’s treated like work, not education.
What still counts
Child Benefit can carry on until you turn 20 if you’re in full-time non-advanced education (more than 12 hours a week of supervised study on average), accepted onto it before you turn 19. That includes:
- A levels or similar, like the International Baccalaureate
- T Levels
- GCSEs
- Scottish Highers
- NVQs and most vocational qualifications up to Level 3
- study programmes in England
- a pre-apprenticeship
It can also continue for unpaid “approved training”:
| Nation | Approved training |
|---|---|
| Wales | Traineeships or Jobs Growth Wales+ |
| Scotland | No One Left Behind |
| Northern Ireland | PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work |
What your parent or carer needs to do
Only the person who claims Child Benefit can update HMRC.
- If you’re staying in education: they need to tell HMRC, or the payments stop automatically on 31 August on or after your 16th birthday.
- If you’re leaving to start an apprenticeship: they should tell HMRC you’ve left education or training. If they’re paid when they shouldn’t be, they might have to pay it back.
Is it worth it?
Losing Child Benefit can feel like a step back, but an apprenticeship comes with a wage. From April 2026 the minimum is £8.00 an hour, and many employers pay more. See our guide for parents and carers for the full picture.
Sources and review
Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.