Has anyone stopped child benefit, how long did it take?

[TellerTuesday]

Appreciate that the rules have changed but still decided to stop receiving child benefit and decided I will just back claim in a year or so if we would have been entitled without the HI charge. We've done this previously a couple of times as DH's income can fluctuate significantly.

I filled in the online form to stop claiming it on 16th February and got an email confirmation to say changes can take 15 working days to process.

Still received the full amount (1 child) of £96 on 4 March and again on 28 March and then this morning have received £102.40.

DH got a letter last week to say that the last tax return he needs to complete is for the 23/24 tax year.

Do you think that's it finally stopped now?

You know you can only back claim 3 months? I do the opposite, claim it, put it in a high interest account (going to make £100 on it this year) and then pay back what I owe.

I was told by a "friend" that because I had savings over £50k I had to ring them and stop claiming it. My own fault for not checking but said "friend" was a stickler for the rules so I assumed she knew and was worried I'd get a fine. 2 yrs later and I realised she had basically just been jealous and I haven't been able to get them to re-start it. I don't earn, and never have, £50k. I'd leave it alone.

Don’t stop it, you can claim it at nil rate, which will protect your pension .

I believe that's only for new claims where you haven't claimed it previously. Twice in the past we have claimed for a year or more where we were entitled but hadn't claimed it. No need to claim it for the pension benefit I have my own contributions through working.

@TellerTuesday oh interesting, sorry I didn't know that. I still prefer the interest free loan 😂

Can I ask how you claimed it back? I have tried twice to do this online and had no response. I think once they tried to call back but I didn't know the number so didn't answer and only later considered it might have been them. I assumed they'd be able to tell what I earn and reinstate it automatically but it doesn't seem that simple?

Anyone can get child benefit?

It is child tax credit/child element of universal credit which is unavailable to people earning a certain income or the third child

Different things

If you earn over £50k I think they have stopped it now - there is an earning limitation and the OP must be at the threashold. When I went online to try to get it back it asks when you stopped earning over £50k (I laughed a bit).

@Leah5678 whilst any parent can technically apply, since 2013 those earning a certain amount have to repay part or all of child benefit (or they can cancel the claim or have it on file and not withdraw from it).

@CarInsurance I can't 100% remember the process but I think I just filled in the form to reinstate payments and then it asked if you wanted to back date payments and for which tax years / dates.

It was tapering over 50k, none if over 60k (income of highest individual household earner not savings or assets!) for years, but from the new tax year has been changed to over 60k tapering to 80k. So a big change that somewhat acknowledges inflation since the thresholds were set, and they are also to consult about changing it to household income.