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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To stop my child benefit?

65 replies

meboo · 05/01/2013 19:12

Who actually understands the implications of this? I work and earn iro £7k per year, my OH earns iro £70k per year and so if I continue to receive Child benefit it will only be taxed out of his wages, swings and roundabouts.
I am sure I read somewhere about not stopping the contributions as it affects my 'stamp'.

I have looked at the HMRC site and I am none the wiser - help??

OP posts:
FiveGoMadInDorset · 05/01/2013 19:16

I think you need to claim but then do a self assessment and include it in your income.

LindyHemming · 05/01/2013 19:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bluebiscuit · 05/01/2013 19:48

It doesn't affect your NI for your state pension because you still have a child benefit claim, you are just reducing the payment to zero. The claim is still there.

Original poster
meboo · 05/01/2013 20:41

So I can stop claiming it and there is no repercussions?

OP posts:
JeezyOrangePips · 05/01/2013 20:44

If you earn above the NI threshold there will be no repercussions. Under it and your pension contributions won't be protected. I can't remember the figure but I'll try and find it. It's been a while since I dealt with this stuff!

cocoachannel · 05/01/2013 20:45

Much easier to simply stop it. I did do on line - took about 60 secs. Interestingly HMRC, having failed to issue a letter to me despite DH and I both earning above the upper limit, they wrote within 24 hours to acknowledge my request to stop.

cocoachannel · 05/01/2013 20:46

Sorry should have said easier to stop it if earning that amount as unlikely to come down with pension contributions etc. which may bring it under the 60k.

LIZS · 05/01/2013 20:47

Your pension is protected for as long as your youngest is under 12 whether you receive payment or not, pay NI through salary or are SAHM.

beachyhead · 05/01/2013 20:47

Is there a link to where you can ask them to stop it and am I too late now?

JeezyOrangePips · 05/01/2013 20:49

This year it's £107 per week, so as you earn over that then there should be no issues.

But it is based on your pay periods - so if you get paid £50 pw and then get a big bonus then you'd be better to claim child benefit. But if you get the amount split evenly over the year you should be fine.

Original poster
meboo · 05/01/2013 20:49

I have not received any notification from HMRC so was inclined to ignore it all and see what happens?

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 05/01/2013 20:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LindyHemming · 05/01/2013 20:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kendodd · 05/01/2013 20:52

Money Box on radio 4 advise keeping it so that's what I'm doing.

LIZS · 05/01/2013 20:53

meboo , you or dp/h will be responsible for registering for SA if either of your income goes above 50k pa. HMRC have advertised in national papers as well as written to many of those who it may effect. Ignorance will be no defence !

JeezyOrangePips · 05/01/2013 20:53

That's interesting LIZS, I hadn't come across that before. I find it odd as they have two similar NI credit reasons - caring for a child under 12 and getting child benefit, and simply caring for a child under 12 that you are related to.

lunar1 · 05/01/2013 20:56

I just stopped mine, here is the link www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefitcharge/stopchbpayments.htm

lunar1 · 05/01/2013 20:57

we have till midnight tonight to do it imtime to stop the next payment

LIZS · 05/01/2013 20:58

Each individual has always been responsible for the amount of tax paid. PAYE should be effective for majority but with benefits in kind and salary sacrifice schemes , self employment and so on not always accurately, especially if you can claim back other things to offset.

ceebeegeebies · 05/01/2013 21:00

Lunar I thought it was midnight tomorrow (so by 7th Jan)?

cocoachannel · 05/01/2013 21:05

My understanding if the Money Box advice is to keep it if you're borderline. Not sure whether £70k would be considered that tbh. I just hate tax returns so anything to make it as simple as possible!

I had no notification and also only found out I needed to cancel by Monday through that thread.

All in all the whole thing continues to be a farce. I have no problem with the principle of not having it given what both DH and I earn but the whole thing resting on one person's salary makes me Angry for those who perhaps have one salaried and one SAHP, which makes them just about illegible.

Wallison · 05/01/2013 21:06

It's all a bit of a fucking shambles, isn't it? Surely if people need to do something they should have been informed of exactly what they need to do, in writing, and in plenty of time. This is what happens with every other benefit, after all.

Original poster
meboo · 05/01/2013 21:09

Couldn't agree more Wallison

OP posts:
PoppyWearer · 05/01/2013 21:09

I'm keeping it, have also seen advice to do so, and I do DH's tax return anyway, so I'm sure it won't be that big a deal to sort out.

My DMum also had issues with gaps in her NI (apparent admin errors but she had no proof) and ended up making extra payments, so am keen to avoid any such problems.

Wallison · 05/01/2013 21:16

meboo I suspect the reason that so many people haven't been informed in writing of what they need to do is that the chumps in charge of things haven't thought through the possibilities and actually don't know who should be doing what. Witness the conflicting advice that has been in and around the media since the announcement has been made, with little/no clarification from the govt. It's pretty shocking really because the implications can be huge if you make a wrong move now. It's their policy, but they don't have a clue as to how it works.