Should I have been claiming child benefit all this time?

[cantforthelifeofme]

I have a 4yo and 1yo and I've just happened across an advert saying 'if your child was born during the pandemic you could be eligible for child benefit'.

Looking into it, it seems that I could have been claiming child benefits for the last 4+ years! Neither my husband or I earn £50K.

I had heard of child benefit but assumed it was for jobless/low income etc.

No one has ever mentioned this to us :(

everyone in the uk is allowed child benefit no matter how much you earn

Argh, I would feel pissed off too! I already knew about it as my parents claimed with us when we were kids but I did also get the form in my maternity stuff when I left the hospital.

Not true. If one half of the couple earn £60k pa + there is no entitlement.
Sliding scale for £60k to £50k.

This is true BUT if someone in the household earns over £50k then some or all of it may need to be paid back. Between £50-£60k you pay a proportion back and once you reach £60k it would all need to be paid back via a self assessment tax return

Yes, this is essential. You should claim even if not eligible as it counts toward your state pension

If you’re self employed, presumably your accountant knows about National Insurance and it’s importance for your later life and pension.

I don't get why it's linked to the pandemic? Am I missing something? If you've had a child full stop you could be entitled to it!

That's not true. I earn 25k and my husband earns 60k. We can't get it because he earns over 60k. Which I find a bit daft because our joint income is 85k but a couple who earn 50k each and a joint income of 100k would get it. Makes no sense to me. I'm not begrudging it, we obviously have more money than a lot of people, it just seems unfair the way it's done at the moment.

They are still entitled to claim it but can either opt out of getting the payment or pay it back via a self assessment tax return

Is your partner claiming without you knowing? I'd also sack the accountants. A bit strange your husband is British but never mentioned Child Benefit.

Sorry you lost out OP, I can see how it got lost, I only heard about it as got a form in my bounty pack, so definitely start claiming.

Are your little ones in childcare? If so (if you haven't already) look into tax free childcare too 😊. You might know about this already but don't want to assume!

Even if child benefit has "been around for a really really long time", if you live your life thinking you're not going to need it why would I pay attention to the phrase? I wrongly assumed it'd be for people who really can't "afford" their children! I've never been eligible for any other benefit... I'm (mainly) self employed and not a low earner so more often that not, I'm not eligible for stuff.

I wasn't even eligible for the lockdown grants as my self employed and employed work weren't on the right ratio.

I am surprised that you get money for having a child.

Definitely not 😂

This is so true - lots of mothers are not claiming thinking they can't because their partner earns too much, and then they are missing out on NI credits.

As I understand it, if either you or your partner earns too much you can claim and then the highest earner pays it back, or you can opt out of receiving it (but still put the claim in for the NI credits)

I've just found out that putting a claim in also gets your child an NI number when they are 16.

@howaboutchocolate but still worth registering for CB for each child to accumulate the ni credits if you are not working throughout. You can opt out of the payments to avoid the need to repay anything.

But yeah I'm going to write a nasty letter to my accountant!! I can't believe it!

I got a firm from the hospital to send to hmrc back many years ago. It was part of the discharge pack.

It's not the medical professions job to tell you about benefits, it's some you look into yourself surely. If your dh grew up here he will know about child benefit, it's been around for 40 years!

I'd be writing a nasty letter to my husband also failing to inform me of this benefit

Why would her husband be any more aware of it?
In my childhood it was 'family allowance' and you had to collect it from the post office so nothing like todays child benefit.

You should have been made aware of it when pregnant/when you had your babies

Why should your accountant tell you about child benefit? They probably assume like I would, you applied yourself

Haha @Summertime16 yep!

Though why would husband know?

I think because it's so widely known, like you need a licence to watch TV, that we assume everyone knows.

Is your accountant aware you had a child? I'm an accountant and don't have a clue if/how many children the majority of my clients have...

We only ask our clients about CB if there's a chance you will need to repay it, it's not our job to tell people to claim it in the first place.

Don't you get taxed on it? Accountant knows we have children- you'd think he'd ask the question "are you receiving CB and if not why not?"

I was told years ago that the only benefit that you are actually invited to claim is your retirement pension, every other benefit relies on the individual to apply for it.

In my experience people who you think would tell you about such things often don't.
I found out on Mumsnet that my parents council tax was set too high, as my dad had dementia so should have been disregarded. No one at the local authority had informed them, even though they knew the situation, the person who came out to check if my dad qualified for Attendance Allowance didn't either, nor did the Admiral nurse.