No Child Benefit....but Inland Rev wants info re 16 yr old?

[MightHaveDoneBetter]

Have just rec'd a letter from Inland Revenue. They tell me that the child benefit (that we do NOT get) will stop in Sept as my dc is now 16.

Letter goes on to say that I must send info on what my child is doing EVEN IF we are not getting benefit! They even want the address of WHERE my dc is going to school next year.... (am baffled as to why HM Rev & Customs need this info)

I do know that 16 year olds must now continue in 'education or training' but I thought that the local authorities were policing this as I've received LA forms to complete regarding dc's plans for next year.

More importantly though, I wonder WHO is paying Inland Revenue to implement this handy little data gathering exercise on people who do not actually receive child benefit....

Bizarrely, the last bit of the form (which I am sure has been sent to all households (benefit receiving or not) with 16 year olds) has a 'Declaration' that I must sign to tell that I am giving them correct information -- otherwise, 'false info' could affect the child benefit that I do (NOT) receive.

all a bit draconian maybe... any ideas?

If you were receiving cb you would get it if your child was over 16 and still in full time education. Technically you still claim cb you just opt to not receive payments, so I expect they just send the same form to everyone.

If your circumstances changed then you would still have he option to claim cb payments.

Has he been sent a National Insurance number? If you don't complete Child Benefit form even if not eligible and opt out), your child does automatically get sent out a number. Maybe it's their new system for all children not getting CB. I had a letter from them saying I was in receipt of it when I wasn't in response to me completing form. Maybe it's just the terminology they use.

The Inland Revenue need to know whether or not you are eligible to receive CB - and if not, the circumstances under which you are ineligible.
Whether or not you are currently receiving it (eligible or not) is irrelevant.

thank you everybody...

re change of circumstances.. I assume that I would just file IF that happened... and not need to send this form now...

& dc does have an NI number... and as for eligibility... Inland Rev already knows that we aren't eligible (we haven't been for years.. but only just)..

Call me paranoid... I object to seemingly unnecessary data gathering (which costs money and is paid for by our taxes) .....

... and I resent handing over info to government bodies unless they actually need that info. I don't see why HM Rev needs the address of the school that my child will attend next year and they certainly do not need to know what sort of course dc is on. It's just none of their business. We pay our taxes and our personal details about child's A level choices is not relevant to tax collection/benefit dissemination.

interestingly, we didn't receive this type of letter when other child (now 20) hit 16 ....

thank you to everybody for comments...