Child Benefit Claim - help please

lady_lurkalot

I am trying to sort out a claim for Child Benefit on behalf of my daughter, who is currently unwell having been recently diagnosed with a spontaneous CSF leak. She had her third child in April, she was already getting Child Benefit for her other two children who are 4 and 6. She filled in a form online to claim for the new baby, this turned out to be just a request for an application pack, which eventually arrived, and she returned this with the baby's birth certificate in July. Since then she has tried to phone to chase up the claim, but just got a recorded message saying claims are taking 12 weeks and to wait 12 weeks after submitting your claim before ringing. The 12 weeks are now up, and as my daughter is so ill I rang for her yesterday, and we eventually got to speak to a real person! After checking he said they had not received the claim, and we now have to start the whole process all over again and he is sending another application pack. This means the baby's birth certificate is lost as well and I've had to order a replacement. Is there any way that we can get the new application fast tracked, as my daughter is now unable to work and needs this additional benefit desperately. Also, will they backdate the claim to April when the baby was born? Any help and advice will be gratefully received

clairec79

Normally the most they will backdate is 3 months, I know it's not her fault but unless you have proof I can't see them backdating it

lady_lurkalot

Yes this is what worries me as she really needs the money we have already sent off a complaint by email but does anyone know a way of contacting someone 'higher up' in the Child Benefit system please, either by letter, email or phone?

emmi31

Hi
I'm 30 weeks pregnant our register office does the tell us once service the lady said they validate your claim when you register baby you take the child benefit form with you when you register baby so you don't need to send off the birth certificate.
Might be worth seeing if your register office offers this service make it quicker for you