Child Benefit form 16-19

[ABirdsEyeView]

So, dd is staying in education and I got a form to fill in to confirm this, to continue getting CB payment.
Thought it would be a simple 5 minute job, but no. Form says the quickest/easiest way is online but you have to set up a government gateway account and so far they've asked for passwords to be set up, security codes sent to the phone, passport information, face confirmation.
I swear the next page is going to ask me for my gynaecological history!

AIBU to think this is massive overkill - I just want to sort out the child benefit, I'm not applying to become a fucking spy!

I could just fill out the much more basic info on the back of the letter but my experience of govt departments tells me they may or may not do anything with it in time.

But if they can accept (in theory) a simple form through the post, why is it harder to get into their online forms than it is to get into Fort Knox?

Anyone else filled out this form yet?

Yes. Via the government gateway. Easy.

Except you need to set yours up. Sort it out and you’ll find it useful for a range of things including tax and pension forecasts. That’s why it needs to be so secure.

I set up a government gateway account really quickly and done it online. Only needed my driving licence and passport no face recognition. Letter would take a lot longer I think

You may only need it for child benefit but Gov Gateway accounts contain a lot of personal information about your tax and employment history and allow a lot more activities to happen if needed (e.g submitting tax returns) so personally I’m glad they’re taking trouble to ensure data is secure!

I really cba with it tbh. If I wanted to do something more complex I'd understand it, but this is literally a bog standard yes or no type of issue and it seems mad to me to make every parent jump through hoops for this!

I would say most people have a government gateway account by now. So yes it would normally be quicker. Yours is taking longer because you haven't set one up.

Is this the same site as the pension checker thing that Martin Lewis recommended people do? Cos I did that a couple of years ago

Yes, I did it but I already had a government gateway set up for another reason. I think it's just how they like to deal with all benefit stuff and self employment stuff. It's annoying if that's all you need it for!

Yes, government gateway is also used to check state pension contributions and gap that Martin Lewis and others recommend, The information for child benefit and updating it is on there, below that part now.

Thanks all. I just went back and signed in with the details I'd used for the pension checker a couple of years ago and it took me straight to it. I'd forgotten that I'd done it tbh since I never needed anything after that.

Still don't know why they were letting me submit all the info again though and didn't just tell me I'm a dozy mare who already has an account

What will happen about all those details I re submitted? Do they just sit in the ether somewhere? I never got around to re submitting the passport info, cos I was getting mad!

I did this, I can’t have needed a driving license cos I don’t have one

I have a government gateway account but did not use it for a long time and had to start again. I spent ages like the OP including downloading a second app but it didn't work. They can't verify me but don't tell me why. I have now sent off the paper form.

I haven't used mine for ages - to the extent I'd forgotten I had it. But still had an ID number in my notes and that logged me in. DS is an accountant and made me check my pensions years ago - I think I'd blocked that out tbh

I just filled in the form and posted it back.

Once the government gateway stuff is set up it's easy and for a govt site. Loads of stuff is done through the gateway - self-assessment taxes, childcare vouchers (which you used to have to renew the info for every couple of months ) so I think a lot of people have it already once you are in it's quick and easy

I phoned them as soon as the lines opened ,got through straight away and they sorted it out for me in a few minutes .

Yeah the government gateway is a right pain in the arse. Once it's done it's so handy though for a ton of stuff. Just take down your log ons and whatnot and don't lose them. Not ever. It's worth the slog.

I did look for a phone number but the sneaky buggers haven't put it on the letter! Still, it's done now.
I wouldn't mind but I don't even really get the CB - it's taken away via the tax code. But I don't fancy not claiming it and then trying to get hold of the tax office to sort it at that end!

It seemed to take ages to fill in all the info the first year we did it, but renewal of status this year didn't take long at all (has to be updated each year).