Guardian's Allowance

What is it?

Guardian's Allowance (GA) is payable to you (as long as you are not the parent), if you are responsible for a child or young person and in receipt of Child Benefit and special circumstances apply to that child or young person.

GA is not payable:

• if the child or young person is legally adopted prior to the claim for GA being made, or
• to statutory or voluntary organisations caring for the child or young person.

Basic qualifying condition

GA is payable if a child or young person is living with you, or being maintained by you.

You can only receive GA if you are entitled to Child Benefit in respect of that child or young person and:

• both parents of the child or young person are dead
• one parent is dead and at the time of death the whereabouts of the other parent was and remains unknown, or
• the parents were divorced, one parent is dead and the other parent:

a) did not have custody of the child or young person, and

b) was not paying maintenance for that child or young person voluntarily, and

c) is not liable for maintenance or custody under a court order

• The child's or young person's parents never married and the mother is dead and the father is not known, or
• The surviving partner is in prison and serving an indefinite sentence or one with at least 5 years remaining at the time of the death of the other parent

One of the child's or young person's deceased parents must have been born in the Isle of Man, or lived in the Isle of Man for a total of 52 weeks in any 2 year period after the age of 16.

How much could I get and how am I paid?

See the Benefit Rates for further details.

You can be paid weekly by order which you can cash at a Post Office or you can have it paid by direct credit into your bank or building society account every 4 weeks.

How and when should I apply?

Use the claim form and return it to:

A claim must be made as soon as possible after the qualifying conditions are met.