Child support Benefit

[BIG DAD]

When my second child was born i contacted the child tax credit office to declare the birth but not the child benfit office.

My daughter is now 17months and i realised this a few weeks ago and contacted the child benefit to register her.

They have told me that i cannot claim the last 17 months child benefit as by law they can only pay the last 3 months, this means my child has missed out on app 5-600 quid.

this seems a bit unfair and i am sure if they had over paid me and taken more than 3 months to realise thay would want all the money back. I have wrote a letter to them asking if this can be reviewed and the have again replied with the same comments.

There is an option to appeal using a form they issue but is there any point, is it the law that they cannot pay more than 3 months back pay?

[kick3m0n]

I have no clue what the law is (not sure there be a specific law about such amatter), but in the Bounty pack that new mums get home from the hospital, it gave you all the info about contacting the Child Benefit Agency and it quite clearly stated that if you did not claim within the first 6 months of the childs life, they would NOT be liable pay you the full amount you had missed out on. This will sound harsh, but it's entirely your fault that you child has missed out on this money, not that of the CBA. Why not appeal anyway? You have nothing to lose.

[~Wingnut~]

We've just realised that we could have been claiming for our daughter being at playschool since last November (child tax credit), but they will only back pay us 3 months. I feel it's our fault as we should have realised.
Seems it's their usual take on things I'm afraid :o(

[Goodsoulette]

They wont do it. It the rules and thast that. Have seen it happen a lot by just a month, there is no way the will do it for that amount. It doesnt even matter if its THEIR mistake why you havent been paid you will only get 3 months pay.

[myfringe]

If you appeal and say you thought the Tax Credit office would inform them then you will definitely lose.

But, if you appeal and say you filled in and send off the forms to claim and nothing happened (implying they lost them/it got lost in the post) you 'might' win.