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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to pay this? Child benefit?

31 replies

childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 12:35

Name changed.

We owe the U.K. close to 4K in child benefit. We have the money to pay in full but it says we can make a payment plan (I'm guessing interest free)

What should we do...pay in full and be done or call and sort a payment plan??

Wwyd?

OP posts:
gamerchick · 05/01/2022 12:36

If you can get rid of it in one I'd do that tbh. It's up to you though.

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 12:43

@gamerchick yeah a big part of me agrees but then a little part of me says just keep the money in my account and pay it over time.

OP posts:
Tay17 · 05/01/2022 12:45

I agree with the pp. if you’ve got it there available I’d just pay it off & it’s something crossed off fully, don’t have to worry about it anymore.

Fridaysgirl17 · 05/01/2022 12:45

I'd pay it & be done with it but I hate owing anybody anything as it makes me feel guilty 🤷🏻‍♀️

ChiefAdjusterOfRubensShorts · 05/01/2022 12:49

When we had an overpayment we paid it back in instalments but it wasn’t interest free. We got our MP involved to get the interest removed.

(Massive back story to this but our MP agreed with us).

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 12:56

@ChiefAdjusterOfRubensShorts that's interesting, the letter doesn't say anything about interest. Thanks for that

OP posts:
gogohm · 05/01/2022 13:08

It wasn't interest free when we were overpaid, mp got interest removed and we had 12 months to repay

BurntO · 05/01/2022 13:11

I’d get it over with tbh. I find them awful at keeping things “right” and up to date so I would pay in full and asking in writing for it to be confirmed the debt was cleared

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 13:16

Yeah maybe I'll just pay it, part of me can't be bothered with them.

OP posts:
DreamerSeven · 05/01/2022 13:18

I’d pay it off on full, especially if you’ll be applying for credit/a mortgage in the future as it’ll be counted as a debt and could affect affordability checks.

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 13:20

@DreamerSeven yeah I never though of that I suppose. Just annoying as it wasn't even my fault as such...suppose it never is. Thanks

OP posts:
Itsalmostanaccessory · 05/01/2022 13:23

How is it not your fault?

You know you're either entitled or not entitled. If you carried in claiming after going over the threshold (without paying it back) then it is your fault.

Just pay it back.

KiloWhat · 05/01/2022 13:24

If you owe it just pay it back.

girlmom21 · 05/01/2022 13:25

I'd just pay it if I could afford to too.
I hate being in any kind of debt.

KiloWhat · 05/01/2022 13:25

[quote childbenefitq]@DreamerSeven yeah I never though of that I suppose. Just annoying as it wasn't even my fault as such...suppose it never is. Thanks [/quote]
How was it not your fault?

PicaK · 05/01/2022 13:29

Otoh. If you have an unexpected expense crop up then it might be handy to be able to borrow temporarily from your repayment money (rather than get a loan or pay cc charges)

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 13:31

@Itsalmostanaccessory it's nice of you to assume that. Hmm

Not that I HAVE to explain it but here you go...

We moved to another country, but my dh still worked for a U.K. company so therefore the U.K. paid our CB.
After a few years I went back to work in said new country so I could therefore claim CB In new country. Once they sorted my claim they paid me a back payment to the date we moved to the country (which technically doubled up on the U.K. payment. Then they told me to cancel my U.K. CB which I did, and they told me that the money they gave me included the overpayment (normally they didn't do this as they sorted it themselves but due to covid they have decided to let the person...aka me sort it) and that when the U.K. requested it back that I could pay it back out of the money....and so here we are.

But thank you for jumping to conclusions...

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 05/01/2022 13:33

What country did you move to?

KiloWhat · 05/01/2022 13:33

@childbenefitq in that case I'd put it in a separate account with as much interest as you can get and pay it back slowly over time as long as they aren't charging you interest.

girlmom21 · 05/01/2022 13:35

Yeah I'd actually pay it as it comes in now you've explained. So new country pay child benefit in and you pay it back to the UK. That way you're not out of pocket.

Original poster
childbenefitq · 05/01/2022 13:37

@girlmom21 the U.K. does not pay us anymore. They haven't paid us anything since a year ago. But it has taken them this long to bill us. And before anyone says I was directed by U.K. CB to not pay until I was billed...

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 05/01/2022 13:38

@childbenefitq no but you're claiming child benefit in the new country. I'm saying just use that to pay off the debt. That way you get to keep your savings.

KiloWhat · 05/01/2022 13:39

[quote girlmom21]@childbenefitq no but you're claiming child benefit in the new country. I'm saying just use that to pay off the debt. That way you get to keep your savings. [/quote]
That's a good idea

Freecuthbert · 05/01/2022 13:39

I think it depends how your financial situation is. If you both feel relatively stable in your employment, and if you have plenty other savings behind you. I think if the 4k is the entirety or majority of your savings it makes a difference and a payment plan would be better in that situation. So many times over the past year I've had to fall back on emergency savings so it really hinges on if paying it all off removes that safety net for you. Also find out for definite about the interest, as I was under the impression that interest was always added in these scenarios.

MissNothing1991 · 05/01/2022 13:40

[quote childbenefitq]@Itsalmostanaccessory it's nice of you to assume that. Hmm

Not that I HAVE to explain it but here you go...

We moved to another country, but my dh still worked for a U.K. company so therefore the U.K. paid our CB.
After a few years I went back to work in said new country so I could therefore claim CB In new country. Once they sorted my claim they paid me a back payment to the date we moved to the country (which technically doubled up on the U.K. payment. Then they told me to cancel my U.K. CB which I did, and they told me that the money they gave me included the overpayment (normally they didn't do this as they sorted it themselves but due to covid they have decided to let the person...aka me sort it) and that when the U.K. requested it back that I could pay it back out of the money....and so here we are.

But thank you for jumping to conclusions...[/quote]
As you've said, they said when the UK requested it to pay it back. You weren't entitled and you knew that. The money was back paid to pay back the UK, not for you to play with.