What is Guardian's Allowance?

How much Guardian's Allowance is in 2026/27

Guardian's Allowance is £22.95 a week for each child. It is paid on top of Child Benefit, and it is tax free.

It is usually paid into a bank account every 4 weeks. It can be paid weekly if you are a single parent or get certain other benefits, such as Income Support.

Example 1: one child

You are bringing up your grandson after both his parents died. You get:

• Child Benefit (only child): £27.05 a week
• Guardian's Allowance: £22.95 a week

That is £50.00 a week, or £200.00 every 4 weeks.

Example 2: two children

You are bringing up two sisters whose parents have died. You get:

• Child Benefit: £27.05 (eldest) + £17.90 (second child) = £44.95 a week
• Guardian's Allowance: 2 x £22.95 = £45.90 a week

That is £90.85 a week, or £363.40 every 4 weeks.

Who can get it

You must be bringing up someone else's child, you must qualify for Child Benefit, and the child's parents must have died.

You may also get it if only one parent has died and:

• you do not know where the other parent is, and you have made a reasonable effort to contact them
• the other parent will be in prison for at least 2 years from the date of the first parent's death
• the other parent is in hospital by court order

At least one of the child's parents must have been born in the UK, an EEA country or Switzerland, or have lived in the UK for at least 52 weeks in any 2 year period since the age of 16.

If you adopt the child, you can keep getting it as long as you were getting it before the adoption.

How it affects other money

Guardian's Allowance is treated generously:

• It does not count as income for Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
• It is not affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
• It does not count towards the benefit cap.

How to claim

1. Claim Child Benefit as soon as possible, if you have not already.
2. Fill in the Guardian's Allowance claim form (BG1). You can also phone the Guardian's Allowance Unit and ask for a claim pack.
3. Send it to the Guardian's Allowance Unit with the child's full birth certificate and the parents' death certificates.

Guardian's Allowance can be backdated for up to 3 months, so claim soon after the child comes to live with you. If you disagree with a decision, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration (a review of the decision).

Related guides

• What is Child Benefit?
• How do I claim Child Benefit?
• Can grandparents claim Child Benefit?
• How much is the foster care allowance?

Where these figures come from

• Guardian's Allowance: what you'll get
• Guardian's Allowance: eligibility
• Guardian's Allowance: how to claim
• Child Benefit: what you'll get