Exact date parents need to act or risk losing child benefit cash – final days for letters to land on doormats
PARENTS have just weeks to take action or they could risk losing up to £1,331 in child benefit payments.
The taxman is posting thousands of letters to parents of teenagers asking them to give an update about their future education plans
Child benefit is worth up to £1,331 a year for the first or only child, and up to £881 a year for each additional child.
Payments will automatically stop on August 31 on or after the child has turned 16 unless parents renew their claim when their child is continuing in education.
The parents of children who are furthering their education have until August 31 to tell HMRC or their payments will automatically stop.
Parents can continue to receive the cash boost up until their child is 19, and enrolled in an apprenticeship program or the following education schemes:
- A levels or Scottish Highers
- International Baccalaureate
- home education – if it started before their child turned 16, or after 16 if they have a statement of special educational needs and it was assessed by the local authority
- T levels
- NVQs, up to level 3.
Child benefit will also continue for children studying on one of these unpaid approved training courses:
- in Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships or the Jobs Growth Wales+ scheme
- in Northern Ireland: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme 3.2, Training for Success or Skills for Life and Work
- in Scotland: Employability Fund programme and No One Left Behind
It works out at £25.60 per week for your first child and £16.95 for every child after that, so it is important to respond to the HMRC if you want to receive the benefit in September.
The tax man is set to deliver millions of letters up until 17 July.
The letters will include a QR code which, when scanned, directs them straight to GOV.UK so parents can update online.
Do not worry if you do not receive a letter by next week.
The HMRC said parents still extend their child benefit claim via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.
However, it is important to remember to do this before August 31 or you could risk losing out.
WHAT IS THE HMRC APP
YOU CAN download the HMRC to your iPhone or Android device to get updates about your tax, National Insurance, tax credits and benefits.
The HMRC app is a quick and easy way to get information about your tax, National Insurance, tax credits and benefits.
You can use it to check:
- your tax code
- your National Insurance number
- your income and benefits
- your employment and income history from the previous 5 years
- how much you will receive in tax credits and when they will be paid
- your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for Self Assessment
- how much Self Assessment tax you owe
- your Child Benefit
- your State Pension forecast
- your gaps in National Insurance contributions
You can also use it to:
- get an estimate of the tax you need to pay
- make a Self Assessment payment
- make a Simple Assessment payment
- set a reminder to make a Self Assessment payment
- report tax credits changes and complete your renewal
- access your Help to Save account
- use our tax calculator to work out your take-home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance deductions
- track forms and letters you have sent to us
- claim a refund if you have paid too much tax
- ask HMRC’s digital assistant for help and information
- update your name
- update your address
- save your National Insurance number to your digital wallet
- check for gaps in your National Insurance contributions and the benefits of paying them
- check if you can make a payment for gaps in your National Insurance contributions
- choose to be contacted by HMRC electronically, instead of by letter
What is child benefit?
You get child benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16 or under 20 if they are in approved education or training
The payment is used to help parents 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.
You must contact the Child Benefit Office if you think you are paid too much or too little.
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 online.
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.
What other support can I get?
The government offers a range of support for families who are raising children, so it is worth getting in touch if you would like access to the help.
Other schemes available for families include:
Universal credit childcare costs:
If you are a working parent who pays for childcare, Universal Credit will pay 85% of childcare costs back to you.
The maximum amount a month is:
- £1,014.63 for one child
- £1,739.37 for 2 or more children
To be eligible you need to be in paid work or starting a job.
To apply you must contact Universal Credit through your online account or via telephone.
Free school meals:
If you are on a low income your children may be entitled to free school meals.
For millions on Universal Credit there are income requirements though.
If you live in England or Wales, you must have an income of £7,400 a year or less, not including benefits, to qualify for free school meals.
Those on child tax credits must earn under £16,190 a year.
In Scotland, those on Universal Credit must have a monthly income of £660 or less – £7,920 a year.
Meanwhile, Scottish families must have an income of less than £17,005 if they claim child tax credits, which goes down to £7,920 if they claim this as well as working tax credits.
In some cases, children aged between 16 and 18 receiving Universal Credit themselves can be eligible for free school meals too.
Healthy start vouchers
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, you may be able to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
Families on Universal Credit can apply online if their take-home pay is £408 or less from employment.
If you get Child Tax Credit, you may be eligible for Healthy Start if:
- your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less
- you do not get Working Tax Credit
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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