HMRC warns that thousands of parents are losing out on child benefit payments worth £27 per week by failing to claim on time. The tax authority reports that new parents miss the deadline to receive backdated payments, forfeiting hundreds of pounds annually per child.
Child benefit in the UK provides £21.15 weekly for the first child and £14.05 for each subsequent child. Parents who delay their claim lose eligibility for backdated payments, which typically cover the previous three months. This means a parent claiming months late could miss out on £351 for their first child alone.
HMRC emphasizes that claims must be submitted within the first three months of a child's birth to secure full backdated payments. After that window closes, parents can still claim but only receive payments from the date they actually apply. The agency attributes many missed claims to parents assuming their partner has already filed or not realizing they need to apply separately.
The benefit provides critical financial support for UK families, yet administrative gaps continue to cost households thousands annually. HMRC urges new parents to check their eligibility and submit claims immediately upon birth registration. The process now streamlines through HMRC's online portal, reducing friction compared to paper-based applications of previous years.
Parents unsure whether they've claimed can verify their status through their HMRC account or by contacting the agency directly. Given the financial stakes, particularly for families with multiple children, the delay represents a significant policy gap where eligible support goes unclaimed purely due to procedural oversight rather than ineligibility.