Just realised I could have claimed 6 years worth of child benefit!!

[hmmm123]

I had no idea that this was available. I always thought it was for people on lower incomes or not working. Just been told you can claim it regardless of income ( although you of pay tax if either of you earn over 50k) dh earns just over this, I earn well beneath...

My dc is 6 and I have never claimed

I have just worked out that's about 6k down the drain😩😩😩😩😩

You can't claim retrospectively

What a plonker I am!

^ although we have had childcare vouchers through salary sacrifice plus 30 hours childcare when dc1 turned 3. Both of these will no longer apply now I've left my job.

NI credits help towards state pension. If you claim child benefit (even if you opt out of payment) you get NI credits up until your youngest is 12. It also means the child automatically gets their national insurance when they turn 16

Pinchy while you claim child benefit they award you NI credits towards your state pension as if you were working. It’s possible to claim the CB but refuse payments, if you will definitely have to repay it all. Otherwise you get the payments then your DH will do a tax return and they will adjust his tax code to reclaim it. Make sure you claim it though because otherwise you will have gaps in your NI history which could mean you wouldn’t get a full state pension.

Thanks! Does it matter that I haven't claimed before now? (DCs are 4 and 1)

Also I didn't work for nearly 3 years some years ago as was abroad for dh job. I guess there's no way around this in terms of pension? ( I wasn't thinking of such things then!)

You can make a new claim now. I've just done one for my 4 Yr old. Then opt out of payments. You might be able to buy more nI credits for those 3 years but I'm not so sure about that. You can check your ni payments on www.gov.uk

Pinchycrab you can make voluntary NI contributions but I would really not be relying on state pension.

I haven't yet claimed for my second dc and I'm kicking myself.