So many people may be wondering what Guardian’s allowance is all about because they don’t understand it. In case if you want to know what Guardian’s allowance is all about, just follow us in this article. In this article, we will discuss how to claim a guardian’s allowance and all the details you need to know. You will find out the meaning of guardian allowance and how you can take part and enjoy it if possible. How To Claim A Guardian’s Allowance – See Details You Need To Know Here
What Is A Guardian’s Allowance
This can be described as a tax-free benefit that is paid to a person that is looking after a child whose parents have died. In most cases, the guardian’s allowance can be paid if only one of the parents has died. The guardian’s allowance can also be paid if one parent has died and the whereabouts of the other surviving parent are not known.
The amount paid as a guardian’s allowance is 20.40 pounds every week and you can also get it on top of a child benefit and it is also tax-free.
What Will You Get With A Guardian’s Allowance
As has been mentioned earlier the guardian allowance rate is 20.40 pounds per child and it is paid on a weekly basis. The guardian’s allowance is tax-free and it is paid in addition to your child’s benefit payments. Having shown you all what a guardian’s allowance is all about, you may also want to know how the money will be paid and what the funds can be used for.
The guardian’s allowance is always paid into a bank account that will be provided every four weeks. If you are a single parent, or you are getting some other types of benefits like income support, the money can be paid weekly. The money can be paid into an account which is different from the nationwide building society account in the name of someone else.
In case you want to claim a tax credit, income-based jobseekers allowance, income support, or income-related employment and support allowance, you should note that the guardian’s allowance is not regarded s an income. The high-income child benefit charge does not affect it. And if you decide not to be paid the child benefit, then your guardian’s allowance cannot and will not be continued. The guardian’s allowance does not also count towards the benefit cap.
Eligibility Requirements For Guardian Allowance
For you to know how to claim a guardian’s allowance you must first find out if you are qualified to get the benefits. You must be qualified for the programme before you will be able to benefit from it. The following are the requirements that must be met for you to be eligible to apply to claim a guardian’s allowance:
- The applicants must have qualified for child benefits.
- You must be presently taking care of or bringing up someone else’s child.
- The parents of the child must have been confirmed dead.
The next qualification is that either of the parents must have been qualified by using either of the following:
- The parents must be living in the United Kingdom since the age of 16 or for at least 52 weeks in any 2-year period.
- The parents must be born in the UK or a European economic area country or in Switzerland.
You can also be eligible for the guardian’s allowance if you adopt a child as long as you were getting it before the child was adopted. You can read more about the eligibility requirements for Guardian’s Allowance claim.
In a situation where the child has only one surviving parent, you can also get a guardian’s allowance if one of the following conditions or circumstances is true:
- By court order, the surviving parent is hospitalized.
- If the whereabouts of the surviving parent is unknown.
- The parents were divorced or their civil partnership had dissolved, the surviving parent does not have custody and also is not maintaining or taking care of the child and there is not a court order in place citing that they should.
- The parents have never been married and the mother has passed on and the father is unknown.
- The surviving parent will stay in prison for at least 2 years from the date of death of the other parent in question.
How To Claim A Guardian’s Allowance
It is a very easy process to go through if you know how to claim a Guardian’s Allowance. It is important you claim the guardian’s allowance immediately after the child starts living with you. In order to do this, you will fill out the claim form (BG1) first. When you have finished filling out the form, you will send the filled form to the guardian’s allowance unit with the birth certificate of the child and the death certificate of the parents. You should try and send the original copies.
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Changes To Your Circumstances
If your circumstances change, it means that your entitlement to your guardian’s allowance can be greatly affected and your payments can be stopped. You must report any changes straight away and immediately. You can report online if there is any of the following happens:
- If the child in question goes to live with another person.
- If you travel abroad temporarily for more than 8 weeks or permanently for over a year.
- If the said child leaves approved training or full-time education.
- If the details of your contact or bank change.
- If you locate the whereabouts of the surviving parent.
- If the surviving parent comes out of the hospital or prison,
- If the surviving parent makes a payment towards the upkeep of the child.