Warning for thousands of parents to check for letters on doormat this week – or risk losing £1,300 child benefit cash

THOUSANDS of parents could be at risk of losing £1,331 in child benefit cash if they don’t respond to letters arriving over the next few days.

Child benefit is paid those responsible for a child under the age of 16, or under 20 if they’re in an “approved” education or training setting.

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All parents can apply to receive cash support through child benefits[/caption]

The benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for your first child and up to £881 a year for each additional child.

But, if your child has recently turned 16 you could be at risk of missing out on payments.

It’s up to parents or responsible adults to tell the government if they wish to continue claiming child benefit payments after the teenagers in their care turn 16.

HMRC has sent out 1.4million letters since May 24 to give people the chance to reconfirm their claims for children taking their GCSEs this summer.

But the final letters should land on doorsteps by tomorrow – July 17 – and guardians will have just weeks to respond before they could risk losing out.

The letters contain a QR code which will take you to the government website to update your claim, ensuring you don’t miss out on payments.

You’ll be eligible to continue receiving child benefit payments as long as your child is undertaking “approved” education or training.

This includes studying for A levels, T levels, Scottish Highers, NVQs or similar qualifications, as well as traineeships.

You’ll also be eligible if your child is being homeschooled, as long as this started before they were 16 or they have special educational needs or disabilities.

You wont be eligible if your child is studying for an advanced course such as a university degree or BTEC Higher National Certificate, intermediate or advanced apprenticeship or a course paid for by an employer.

Parents and guardians have until August 31 to confirm their eligibility before payments are stop.

Don’t worry if you haven’t received a letter by July 17, as you can still extend your child benefit claim via gov.uk or the HMRC app, without the need for a letter.

To apply online you’ll need your Government Gateway user ID and password. 

Myrtle Lloyd, director general for customer services at HMRC, said: “Child benefit is an important financial support for many families, so make sure you don’t miss out on any payments if your teenager intends to continue approved education or training.”

Payments will stop when your child leaves education or training, either at the end of February, May 31, August 31 or November 30 – whichever date is closest to them finishing their course.

If your child takes a break in their education or training you are required to tell HMRC, but it will not necessarily mean a break in your payments.

Those responsible for a child may also be able to apply for a 20-week child benefit extension if a child leaves education or training and registers with their local careers service or signs up to join the armed forces.

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 are sometimes made weekly.

If you are claiming child benefit for a child under 12, you also receive National Insurance Credits (NICs).

NICs count towards your state pension so claiming the benefit can be useful in ensuring you have the 35 NIC years required 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.

This means those adopting a child (even if the adoption hasn’t been finalised), or looking after someone else’s child can apply. But child benefit can only be paid to one person.

It’s important to note that eligibility changes if a child goes into hospital or care or if your child lives with someone else.

If you’re not sure about your eligibility you can contact the child benefit office.

Since 2013, if you, or your partner, earns over a certain amount, you have to start paying some child benefit back.

If you go over a second threshold you have to pay it back in its entirety.

This is through what’s known as the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

The threshold through which you have to start paying money back is now £60,000 after it was increased from £50,000 earlier this year.

And 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 could be stung by a hefty 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 for up to three months if you don’t claim it straightaway.

Only one person can claim child benefit for a child, so you should think carefully about which parent might need it the most.

For example, if your partner is missing NICs, it might make sense for them to claim it so they can top them up.

You can apply for child benefit on the government’s website.

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