Child Benefit & Widowed Parent allowance

Willow_wish

Does anyone know if you lose Widowed Parents allowance if you opt out of Child benefit due to being a higher rate tax payer? I believe that WPA is dependant on CB, but can not find anything about how the changes effect it!

WPA info sites state "You can get Widowed Parent’s Allowance until you stop getting Child Benefit", but nothing about whether this is a stop for any reason (ie recent changes) or because the child reaches maturity! :huh:

Icequeen99

With the tax charge, you can choose to continue getting child benefit and pay the tax charge or stop receiving payments and not pay the tax charge. So you don't have to stop CB payments.

I would guess that the WPA is linked to entitlement to CB, which you keep, you just choose not to receive payments so you don't have to go into self-assessment.

Worth contacting an advice agency to confirm.

IQ

BlondBoy

What IceQueen says, i think.

If Widowed Parents Allowance depends on entitlement to CB, you should still get it, whether you choose to get CB paid or not.

If you're still entitled to CB, it should't affect Widowed Parents Allowance. It's whether you're entitled to CB - not whether you're paid it.

But a call to an advice line as suggested may put your mind at rest.