How do you apply for child benefit?

[JennyPenny22]

I am sure with DD1 I got a form when I registered her birth I didn't with DD2 and she is already 10 weeks and just realised that I still haven't done it .

Will it be back dated? How do I apply?

With my scond child I just phoned them up on the number that was on my annual notification of increase and they added the second child.

It can be backdated but only for a certain amount of time.

You can get a form off the internet here:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCreditsandChildBenefit/Childbenefits/DG_073775

and it says they will backdate for 3 months so if you get cracking you should be able to get it all the back to DD2's birthday.

Congratulations on your new baby!

You get a form in your bounty pack but its easily lost amongst all the crap. You can apply online at hmrc website and I think they backdate a bit of it. I forgot to do mine with dc2.

Yep, easy to do on-line. I had a homebirth with DS2 so no form. At least I was spared the Bounty pack!

Thank you all!

Can I just check - you have to print it out and send it off? There is no way you can just do it all online?

Looks like it as you have to send the birth certificate to them too. If you call them they will send you a paper copy in the post, seems like you still have just enough time for that.