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, we will pay each parent half of the child benefit.