How do I opt out of Child Benefit payments without cancelling the claim?

What does opting out of payments actually do?

GOV.UK gives two choices if your income is over the threshold: keep receiving Child Benefit payments and pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge, or opt out of getting payments and not pay the charge.

The opt-out page is explicit: if you opt out of receiving payments, you are still registered for Child Benefit but you do not receive the payment. That is the opposite of cancelling the claim.

GOV.UK: if you opt out of receiving payments, you are still registered for Child Benefit but you do not receive the payment. You would not have to pay the tax charge.

Do I still have National Insurance credits and a NI number for my child?

Yes — that is why this page exists. Parent sites often treat “stop Child Benefit” as one button. GOV.UK splits stopping payments from ending the claim. The credits and the child’s number sit on the claim, not on the monthly payment.

• GOV.UK: you still have National Insurance credits, which count towards your State Pension.
• GOV.UK: your child still has a National Insurance number issued without them having to apply shortly before they turn 16.
• GOV.UK does not publish a pound value for those credits on the opt-out page. This article will not invent one.
• Make a change to your claim repeats that you can opt out of payments at any time and still have the other advantages, such as National Insurance credits.

Ending the claim is a different act from opting out of payments. If a mum (or the parent who stays at home) needs the credits, opting out of payments is the GOV.UK route that keeps the registration.

How do I opt out on GOV.UK without ending the claim?

Use the official opt out of Child Benefit payments page. It offers an online service, an online form, or the Child Benefit Office by phone or post.

1. 1
   Open the GOV.UK opt-out page, not a generic “stop claiming” search result The page title is “Opt out of Child Benefit payments”. That wording is the one that keeps you registered.
2. 2
   Sign in to the online service or the online form GOV.UK says you can create sign-in details if you do not already have them. Appointees and authorised agents cannot use the online service or the online form.
3. 3
   Or contact the Child Benefit Office Phone 0300 200 3100 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or write to the Child Benefit Office. Details are on Child Benefit: enquiries.
4. 4
   Do not use this route if payments are repaying an overpayment GOV.UK says you cannot opt out of payments if you are using them to pay back an overpayment, or to pay back certain other benefits from another country.

What must I still do after the payments stop?

The claim stays alive, so the duties stay alive.

• GOV.UK: you must pay any tax charge owed for each tax year up to the date your Child Benefit payments stop.
• Use the Child Benefit tax calculator for an estimate of what may still be owed.
• Even after you opt out of payments, you must report changes in family life that affect entitlement — the same make a change rules.
• You can restart payments later on the GOV.UK restart page if you still qualify.

What if I keep the payments and pay the charge instead?

That is the other GOV.UK choice. This page does not tell you which choice to make. The charge itself is published on GOV.UK and matches the 2026-27 tax-year figures MayTally holds.

In shortOpting out of payments is not cancelling Child Benefit. GOV.UK says you stay registered, you do not pay the charge on payments you no longer receive, National Insurance credits that count towards your State Pension continue, and your child still gets a National Insurance number at 16 without applying. Use the GOV.UK opt-out service, not a generic stop-claim button.