HMRC gives major update on child benefit payments due tomorrow for thousands of parents
HMRC has confirmed child benefit payments due tomorrow WILL be sent out after delays left half a million parents out of pocket today.
The Government department has confirmed that issues with its payment system caused the delays, which left parents fuming.
AlamyThousands of parents experienced delays in their child benefit payments today[/caption]
HMRC has since insisted that hundreds of thousands of parents due to receive payments tomorrow will see the cash land in their bank accounts.
Child benefit is a valuable income top-up for families, worth £25.60 a week for an eldest or only child and £16.95 a week for additional children.
Over 7.65million households claim the free cash, according to the latest data, but not everyone is paid on the same day.
Child benefit is usually paid every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday.
If you’re a single parent or receive certain other benefits, such as Universal Credit, you can have the money paid weekly.
Around 500,000 parents missed out on their usual child benefit payment today (June 3).
Thousands of furious customers took to social media to complain about the issue.
One parent said on X (formerly Twitter): “Can we at least be informed when child benefit will be paid for the ones now in overdraft due to bills!”
Another said: “Child benefit hasn’t gone in. Seeing some kids unable to get to school because of no bus fare and others with no money for food.
“Miss that one tiny payment, and we’re all f****.”
HMRC said: “The issues that caused payment problems today will not impact payments scheduled for tomorrow.”
It remains unclear what caused today’s delay and when those parents affected will receive their child benefit payments.
Can I complain?
If you’ve been left in your overdraft or have found yourself falling into debt because your payment didn’t arrive on time, you should make a note of this.
HMRC guidance states that you can make a complaint if you’ve faced “unreasonable delays”.
You can:
Complain online using your government gateway user ID and password by visiting www.access.service.gov.uk/login/signin/creds.
Call or write to the Child Benefit Office.
HMRC says that telephone complaints are usually dealt with faster, so we’d recommend phoning 0300 200 3100.
However, the tax office is asking customers not to call this helpline with general queries about the payment delay.
If you write to the Child Benefit Office you’ll need the following to hand:
Your National Insurance number
Your full name, address and telephone number
Details of what happened and when
Any reference numbers you’ve been given
How you’d like your complaint settled
The word “complaint” at the top of your letter
The Child Benefit Office will usually respond within 15 working days.
If you’re unhappy with the response, ask the Child Benefit Office to review it – its letter will tell you how.
And if you’re unhappy with the final decision, you can contact the Independent Adjudicator by visiting www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-the-adjudicators-office.
What is child benefit?
Child benefit is paid to parents to help cover the costs of childcare.
It is paid at two weekly rates – £25.60 for your eldest or only child and £16.95 for any additional children.
Payments are usually made every four weeks, on a Monday or Tuesday, but sometimes are made weekly.
If you are claiming child benefit for a child under 12, you also receive National Insurance (NI) credits.
NICs count towards your State Pension so claiming the benefit can be useful if you are missing any.
The reason NICs are so important is because you need 35 NIC years to receive a full new State Pension.
You are considered a parent, or responsible for a child, if you live with them and are paying at least the same amount as the Child Benefit rates to look after them – for example for food, clothes or pocket money.
It’s important to note that eligibility changes if a child goes into hospital or care and if your child starts to live with someone else.
If you’re not sure about your eligibility, you can contact the child benefit office.
How much is child benefit worth?
THERE are two child benefit rates, one for the eldest child and another for younger children.
You get £21.15 per week for your eldest or only child (£1099.80 a year)
You get £14 for each of your other children (£728 per year, per child)
You get the money for each child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training)
If families split up, how much you’ll get for each child depends on how you claim.
If you have 2 children and one stays with you and the other stays with your ex-partner, you’ll both get £21.15 a week for each child.
If one parent claims for all the children, you get £21.15 for the eldest and £14 for each younger child.
Only one household can claim for each child
Since 2013, if you or your partner earns over a certain amount, you also have to start paying some child benefit back.
Go over a second threshold and you have to pay it back in its entirety.
This is through what’s known as the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC).
The threshold through which you have to start paying money back is now £60,000 after it rose from £50,000.
The rate at which you have to pay the entire allowance back is £80,000, which recently increased from £60,000.
It’s up to you to pay the charge, though, and if you don’t, you can be stung with a nasty bill.
How to claim Child Benefit
Child benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for your first or only child. And up to £881 a year for additional children.
This works out as £102.40 every four weeks or £25.60 a week for your first child and £67.80 every 4 weeks or £16.95 a week for their siblings.
There is no limit the amount of children that can be claimed for.
Applying is straightforward and can be done in minutes at gov.uk or through the HMRC app.
Parents with a newborn baby should make a claim online as soon as possible and could then receive their first payment in as little as three days.
You can also backdate claims for up to three months.
Parents can make a claim and then choose to opt-out of receiving Child Benefit payments can still receive National Insurance credits if one parent is not working.
National Insurance credits build up your entitlement to the state pension.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
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