Child benefit for 17 and 18 yr olds

family6

Just checking some statements I've just noticed that from Sept 2010 I've haven't been paid £13.40 per week for my eldest son. I hadn't noticed because I don't touch the money paid direct to BSoc and with 4 children and it paid monthly I didn't notice it was the wrong amount.

I phoned them with all the details of his full time education course on receipt of letter re change. I was told we would still get it while he was in education and under 19.
I probably have the date I phoned written somewhere but that's it. Will I be able to claim it back?

[Deleted User]

if you can prove you informed them he was staying in education then probably

family6

Unfortunately only a phonecall

anguk

You should be getting £20.30 for your eldest child and £13.40 for the other children. If they've been paying the £20.30 for the next eldest it sounds like they think your eldest is no longer in full-time education.

Do you get tax credits? If you do you may not have been receiving the right amount because I'm sure they only take into account children that you are receiving child benefit for.

family6

Thank you anguk. I have just checked the annual review for tax credits, it says he is qualifying child over 16 and in full time education. I will mention this but I have no proof I phoned the child benefit office though.

anguk

family6 wrote: »

Thank you anguk. I have just checked the annual review for tax credits, it says he is qualifying child over 16 and in full time education. I will mention this but I have no proof I phoned the child benefit office though.

That should go in your favour then, Tax Credits wouldn't pay for him unless you were in receipt of Child Benefit for him and I'm pretty sure they check otherwise you could say you had 10 kids!

It could be possible that Child Benefit actually have you on record as receiving the benefit for him but for some reason (probably when he left school) it was stopped and an error meant it wasn't re-instated. Give them a ring tomorrow to see if he is actually on your claim.

The correct amount you should be getting for four children (assuming they're all in fulltime education) is £60.50 per week. If they think your eldest is no longer in fulltime education you will be getting £47.10. If your eldest is on your claim but they just haven't been paying you it would be £40.20.

I normally use the online system to inform child benefit of changes etc because they reply by email, then you've got proof of contact if there's a problem.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/online.htm

family6

I phoned this morning, spoke to a really helpful chap. He said they had no record of a call, but a lot of people phone tax credit or child benefit and think they have phoned both (moment of panic that maybe I had done this, without any admission). However no problem, will be backdated until Sept 2010 - £13.40 pw and the higher amount until 3/9. :j. Good news especially as my oh has been made redundant today.

anguk

family6 wrote: »

I phoned this morning, spoke to a really helpful chap. He said they had no record of a call, but a lot of people phone tax credit or child benefit and think they have phoned both (moment of panic that maybe I had done this, without any admission). However no problem, will be backdated until Sept 2010 - £13.40 pw and the higher amount until 3/9. :j. Good news especially as my oh has been made redundant today.

Excellent, I'm glad you've managed to get it sorted out and even better that they're backdating it.

Sorry to hear about your husband's job.