Child Tax Credit for Twins and Multiple births

jcturner

As far as I understand it, child tax credit is payable for babies under 1 year of age at the rate of approx £545. This is known as the 'baby element' and is in additional to whatever else you may be entitled to with other children who are older.

It seems however that if you have a multiple birth (i.e. twins or more...) then you still only get one payment of £545 (or whatever the amount is) regardless of how many children you have at once.

It would also seem that even if you have more than one baby in a tax year (can be done!), then you would still only get one payment.

I am expecting twins at the moment (any day now...) and find these payment rules grossly unfair as they do not take into account the number of children you have at once, particularly as it must be doubly expensive to have more than one child at once: you cannot use hand-me-downs between the children, for example.

What experience have others had with these rules? What did you do about it?

P.S. I've also posted this in the tax credits section of the forum...

Spendless

That is correct the baby element is paid per birth not per child, so parents of multiples lose out. TAMBA was fighting for the baby element to be per child rather than per birth so it may be worth contacting them to see if they have got anywhere with this.

Depending on income your working/child tax credits may be more for having two children than having one. You can check that on this site www.entitledto.co.uk

I wasn't aware that women having 2 children within the same tax year missed out too :cool: .

Zara33

:eek: that's shocking!! OP never knew about this before.
Good luck with the babies when they arrive

chmmy

So exciting! Congratulations! Im not sure about the 'baby element' but twinsclub.co.uk is a good source of info.

Carmina_Piranha_3

would people having 2 babies in the same tax year get part of the 545 for their second child? 6 months worth at least?

it does seem very unfair. your second child will be as expensive as your first - so they ought to allow you to get the higher rate of child benefit too but they don't.

Chunters_a_lot

TAMBA have been fighting this one a long time and the Child Benefit one too. My twins will be 5 this weekend. I do think it is grossly unfair becuase there is so little of the 1st baby equipment (which is sort of what the baby element is to cover) can be shared. I needed a double pram, two car seats, two moses baskets / cots etc etc.

Congratulations, by the way:T you are about to start an incredible journey

jcturner

Carmina_Piranha wrote:

would people having 2 babies in the same tax year get part of the 545 for their second child? 6 months worth at least?

it does seem very unfair. your second child will be as expensive as your first - so they ought to allow you to get the higher rate of child benefit too but they don't.

Hi there - yes, even if you have more than one child in the same tax year (just conceivable - 'scuse the pun! ), then it would seem that you would only get one payment even they are not at the same time. Outrageous!

I have already been in touch with TAMBA and we are trying to get things changed... Watch this space for an update!

Thank you for all your kind words and support. Let's hope common sense will reign...

HariboJunkie

Yep. my twins are five too and it is unfair. But money aside they will bring you great joy. Lots and lots of luck.

Haribo

robindunne1

Howeve, you CAN get two lots of surestart maternity grant. My mother in law had twins recently and was able to get her hands on £1000. It wasn't always the case but I understand the rules have recently changed.

bommer

Hope everything goes well with the birth, on a brighter note, they will both go to school at the same time!

On the point of being slightly contraversial here, the tax credits have only been in a few years and I can only say I got nothing 8 years ago when I had my twins, no tax credits, no working tax, no surestart grants - Yes it may be harsh but at least it is better than nothing.