Child benefit - You and your partner are separating or getting divorced

If you and your partner separate, we will pay child benefit to the parent with whom the child lives. Even if you pay child support for a child who lives with your ex-partner, the child benefit will be paid to your ex-partner.

Your child lives with both parents in turn

If your child lives with you and your ex-partner in turn, we will divide the child benefit between you and your ex-partner. We refer to this situation as 'co-parenting'. 

We decide how much child benefit is paid to each parent on the basis of the court ruling, parenting plan or written agreement between the two of you. Such a document will usually specify how the child benefit is to be divided. If this has not been specified, the SVB will pay each parent half of the child benefit.

Children born before 1995

If you get child benefit for a child who was born before 1 January 1995, the amount you get will also depend on the total number of children for whom you get child benefit. Children who live with your ex-partner will sometimes also be taken into account.