Friends child doesn't exist!

Web_fan

Good evening all. I have a close friend who has been trying to claim child benifits from Somerset council for 3 years. They have paid to have several original copies of her birth certificate, posted them and even handed them in and got a reciept however the council still won't admit she exists and she was 3 this year. They have pretty much given up, and now they have lost their job and things are even harder is there anything they can do? Any legal support they might be entitled to? No solicitors seem to be willing to confront the council for them.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

DorsetGirl_2

You dont claim child benefit from the council, you claim it from a central department.

Why do they claim the child doesnt exist if they have the birth certificate?

skintbint_2

child benefit is claimed from the HMRC and not the local council, here is the link
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/start/claiming/index.htm

Web_fan

Thanks for the link, I'm going to read my way through it.

happy_lass

why would the council be involved in this ? its HMRC that should be involved not the council