BG1 Notes and the BG1(CS) Continuation Sheet: What You Need to Know

GOV.UK provides three related items for a Guardian's Allowance claim: Form BG1, the separate BG1 Notes and the continuation sheet BG1(CS). BG1(CS) is for claims covering more than one child; it lets you give details of the additional children.

The BG1 Notes: Read Them Before You Start

The BG1 Notes is a two-page document that accompanies the claim form. It is not a separate form you need to fill in — it is the official guidance sheet that explains what each section of BG1 is asking for.

The notes cover:

• Who counts as a "parent" for Guardian's Allowance purposes (biological parents, adoptive parents, legally recognised second parents — not step-parents unless they adopted the child)
• The five surviving parent exceptions and what evidence each one requires
• The Child Benefit prerequisite — that you must have an active Child Benefit entitlement before Guardian's Allowance can be paid
• The child's age and education rules (under 16, or 16–19 in approved non-advanced education)
• Where to send the form and what original documents to include

The language is dense. HMRC writes for decision-makers, not for grieving grandparents. Phrases like "reasonable efforts to trace" and "custodial sentence of not less than 2 years calculated from the date of death" are precise legal standards, but they leave most claimants uncertain about whether they qualify.

The BG1(CS) Continuation Sheet

BG1(CS) is for a claim covering more than one child. Use it to give details of the other children you want to claim for. It is not a general continuation sheet for explanations about a surviving parent's circumstances. The GOV.UK page provides it alongside the main BG1 form.

Can You Claim Guardian's Allowance Online?

No. As of October 2026, there is no online application for Guardian's Allowance. The only route is the paper BG1 form, posted to HMRC's Newcastle office with original supporting documents.

The GOV.UK website hosts an interactive BG1 form that you fill in before printing. You cannot save a partly completed form, so gather your information before you begin.

Alternatively, you can print the blank form and fill it in by hand. Use black ink and block capitals to avoid processing delays.

The inability to claim online is one of the most common complaints from carers, particularly younger relatives who are used to doing everything digitally. But Guardian's Allowance requires original physical documents (birth and death certificates), which cannot be submitted electronically, so the paper process is likely to remain.

Tips for Completing BG1

• Gather every document before you start — National Insurance numbers, bank details, certificate reference numbers, the child's Child Benefit reference number
• Write your backdating request clearly if you are claiming more than a few days after taking the child in (HMRC can backdate up to 3 months)
• Post via Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery for a tracked record of delivery

Our UK Guardian's Allowance guide walks through every section of the BG1 form with plain-language explanations, pre-submission checklists and worked examples for each surviving parent exception — the parts the official BG1 Notes leave vague.

See more United Kingdom guides →