Millions of parents are being reminded of a huge change to Child Benefit which could change the way they access support.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for administering this benefit to those seven million families who are eligible.
It is now possible for Child Benefit claimants to view their entitlement on HMRC’s app and update their bank details more easily.
Going forward, recipients will be able to report changes which could impact their eligibility for payments to gov.uk.
Changes to Child Benefit will make claims easier for households
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As a result of this change, those getting Child Benefit will no longer need to deal with speaking to an operator on HMRC’s helpline.
Customers can visit the “Child Benefit” section on the tax authority’s app and choose “change bank details”.
It should be noted that changes to payment details will take a bit of time before being officially recognised by HMRC.
If changes are made when payments are due within three days, the Child Benefit will be awarded to previously listed bank accounts so claimants should prepare beforehand.
Claimants will need to set up either facial recognition, a PIN or fingerprint entry for logging into their account and they can download the HMRC app from either the Apple Store or Google Play.
After the app has been installed, Child Benefit recipients will need to follow instructions on the screen to complete the set-up.
Benefit claimants will be asked to sign into their account and can sign in or register on the same sign-up page if they have not used HMRC’s online services before.
What is Child Benefit?
Child Benefit is a payment intended for parents to assist with the costs of raising a child. The payments are made every four weeks.
HMRC has made changes which impact the way people update claims for Child Benefit
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Those getting Child Benefit can also receive National Insurance credits which go towards their state pension entitlement.
As it stands, parents can claim £24 weekly for their first or only child which comes to £96 a month or £1,248 annually.
For any additional children, claimants will be awarded an additional £15.90 a week per child, equating to an extra £826.90 a year.
To be eligible, parents need to be living in the UK and caring for a young person under the age of 16 or someone aged under 20 in approved education.
