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Child Maintenance Bonus
If you are the parent with care, you may be entitled to claim Child Maintenance Bonus if you've been receiving maintenance under the Child Support Agency’s (CSA) old scheme (calculated before 3 March 2003) and your benefit is ending because your income has increased or you'll be working for at least 16 hours per week.
Child Maintenance Bonus is coming to an end on 27 October. As a parent with care, you must satisfy the qualifying criteria and have stopped claiming benefit by 26 November to be entitled to any bonus that may have built up. You then have a further four weeks to claim the bonus. Select the link below to read about the changes.
Who isn't eligible?
If your maintenance was calculated after 3 March 2003, you won't be able to get Child Maintenance Bonus. But you might be eligible for Child Maintenance Premium or Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit – your local Jobcentre Plus office will be able to tell you what you are eligible for.
How much do you get?
Child Maintenance Bonus can be up to £5 for every week you have received benefits and Maintenance. The maximum payable is £1,000.
How it's paid
The Child Maintenance Bonus is a one-off payment into your bank, building society, Post Office® or National Saving account that accepts Direct Payment. If you have any queries about how it's paid, you can contact your local Jobcentre Plus office.
Effect on benefits or tax credits
The Child Maintenance Bonus won't affect other benefits or tax credits.
How to claim
You must satisfy the qualifying criteria and have stopped claiming benefit by 26 November 2008 to be entitled to any bonus that may have built up. You then have a further four weeks to claim the bonus.
If you'd like to claim, you can ask your local Jobcentre Plus office for a Child Maintenance Bonus claim form CMB1, or download one from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) website.
How to appeal
If your claim for Child Maintenance Bonus isn't successful, or you have any queries about your claim, you can ask the Jobcentre Plus office that dealt with it to look again at their decision.
If you're still unhappy with the outcome, you can appeal.
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