Confused about Child Benefit

[Hopkirk]

My wife and I get child benefit, and thought that we would continue to get this as neither of us are higher rate tax payers.

However we have just received a letter from the HMRC Tax Credit Office saying they are not renewing our claim for tax credits as the income level for tax credits for most people is now £42000.

Can anyone explain what's going on?

[boxtops]

I think this was in the Budget, they are combining salaries so that any family with total earnings over £42K no longer receives it.

[bednobs]

child benefit and child tax credits are 2 different things

[boxtops]

Good point, I didn't spot the reference to the two separate benefits.

[Shazza36]

Off the top of my head I think that if you earn over 54k no child ben will be paid and if you earn over 42k no Child Tax Credit will be paid

[Hopkirk]

Well we have been getting child tax credits, and I always assumed this was child benefit.

Does this mean we have never been getting child benefit?

[albaqwerty]

Child Benefit is completey different from Working Tax Xredits and Tax Cradits.

Child Benefit for the first Child is £20.30 per week

[albaqwerty]

cripes, ignore the typos please

[Hopkirk]

I will have to look into this further - my eldest has just turned 18 so we may have missed out on a lot of money.

Why do they have to make it all so complicated?

[Shazza36]

Child Tax Credit should not be paid if you are not getting Child Benefit, you need to be receiving Child Ben to qualify. Child Benefit verify the birth of the child in order for any other tax credits/benefits to be paid.

[craft1948]

As far as i am aware child benefit is always paid directly to the mother, you don't have to claim it, it's automatic.

[Shazza36]

If your 18 year old is still in full time education you can still get the child benefit up until September or if like me your child is still in Full Time Education (not uni) at 19 years old it can be paid up to them being 20

[Hopkirk]

I'll have to check with 'er indoors what she gets paid.

She's at work so it's nice and peaceful, but I can't investigate further now.

[sara3]

Child Benefit has been going for (almost) ever, whilst Tax Credits is relatively new. the 2 are paid separately, and you will see on your bank statements which is which.

Child Benefit will stop when your child leaves non-advanced education.

http://www.direct.gov...hoqualifies/DG_073771

[Shazza36]

Craft 1948- its not automatic you ahve to claim it and anyone who has responsibilty for a child can claim it as long as nobody else is claiming it for them

[Hopkirk]

Yes, he's still at school for a few more weeks yet, then Uni.

[sherrardk]

Hi - when your baby is born you get a form to fill in to claim Child Benefit. You don't usually hear anything else from them after it has all been set up so you might have nominated a bank account for it to be paid into and that is where it still is.

[ummmm]

You do have to claim it Craft....after the childs birth is registered...you/anyone can claim child benefit (used to be called family allowance) after sending the childs BC off...

[craft1948]

oh sorry shazza....................I never claimed it because I wasn't bothered about getting it, but they paid me anyway (I must have been exceptional)

[ummmm]

Craft...you have to claim it. You have to send off the birth cert to get it...

[craft1948]

ummmm when I had my daughter you never got child benefit for the first child. This changed when my daughter was about 7 and I mysteriously received a benefits book which I could cash weekly or monthly. I appreciate this may not be the case nowadays.