Child benefit payments delayed leaving thousands of parents fuming over missing cash
CHILD benefit payments have been delayed leaving thousands of parents out of pocket.
HMRC has confirmed issues with the system that sends the cash directly to 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 any other children.
Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 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.
However, thousands of parents have taken to social media this morning (June 3), claiming that they haven't received their cash.
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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****."
"My child benefit hasn't gone in today! When will we get it?" another parent said.
A HMRC spokesperson said: "We are aware some customers' child benefit payments have not arrived and we are working to resolve the issue."
We've asked HMRC when it expects these payments to be released.
It's not yet clear how many are affected by the late payment issue, but the tax office has been inundated with complaints from furious parents on social media.
It comes as Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, predicted that 80% of those expecting payment this morning haven't received it.
Posting on X, Martin said: "It's early, but currently, it looks like 80% of people expecting child benefit payments this morning haven't got it."
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.
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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 apply for child benefit
YOU can make a claim for child benefit 48 hours after you've registered the birth of your child, or once they move in with you.
It can be backdated by up to three months if you don't claim it straight away.
Applying is straightforward and can be done in minutes onlnine.
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.
Only one person can get child benefit for a child, so you need to decide whether it's better for you or the other parent to claim.
The person who claims will get National Insurance credits towards their state pension if they're not working.
National Insurance credits build up your entitlement to the state pension.
You can make a claim online by visiting www.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim.