Child benefit - higher earner. Can I claim on mat leave?

[Tiredpregnantlady]

I don't qualify for child benefit (currently 1 child) as I am over the threshold. However, when I go on maternity leave soon, I will only get SMP so can we then claim child benefit? My husband earns just over £50k so I know we will have to claim and pay some back. Thanks in advance

Yes you can claim
Did you never start a claim and opt out of payment when you had your child? That would mean just restarting your payments rather than doing a new claim

The £50k earning thresholds is based on a tax year. Better to claim and pay back if over, than miss out.

You can claim, it is unlikely you unlikely you would repay much, if any, if his gross salary is in the lower 50ks. You can stop payments at any time but you may still not earn too much if you return midway in a tax year.

@dementedpixie thanks. We used to claim but then I changed jobs and I got a significant pay rise - so rang up and cancelled the payments. So when I go on mat leave I can ring up and restart claim for first child then when baby is born, ring up again and add that child on?

@dementedpixie ok, thanks. I think his salary is £53k. I'll get him to ring up and sort it

@LIZS sorry, I meant to take you in that reply!

It's 50K after pension contributions have been deducted so you might be entitled to most, if not all of it depending on what he pays to his pension.

@JollyMollyPolly ok, thanks. I find it quite confusing. I thought it was based on gross salary, but is it gross salary minus pension contributions?

Assuming he is contributing to a pension you won't have to pay back much.