HMRC tells parents they can get £1,331 cash boost by Christmas

Families in the UK are being urged to claim a £1,331 cash boost. HM Revenue and Customs says new parents who claim Child Benefit online or via its app could receive their first payment in time for their baby's first Christmas.

HMRC says more than one million parents have claimed online or via the app since the new digital service launched and 87 per cent of new Child Benefit claims are now made online.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC Director General for Customer Services, said: "Having a baby is a busy and expensive time but claiming Child Benefit online or via the app means you’ll get cash in your bank account as soon as possible. Claim now and you could get your first payment in time for your baby's first Christmas." She added that claims can be backdated by up to 12 weeks and Child Benefit is typically paid every four weeks.

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Child Benefit pays £25.60 a week for your first child and £16.95 a week for any children after that, equivalent to £1,331 and £881 a year respectively. It can be claimed online just 48 hours after registering a baby's birth and parents typically receive their first payment within three working days. From April 2025, these rates will go up by 1.7 per cent to £26.05 and £17.25 respectively in an inflation-based increase.

To get started, parents must create an online account for HMRC services. They then need the child's birth or adoption certificate, bank details, the National Insurance number for themselves and their partner, and the child's passport or travel document if they were born outside the UK.

If either parent has an income between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner will be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. An online Child Benefit tax calculator provides an estimate of how much benefit they will receive and what the charge may be.

If families claimed Child Benefit before April 6, 2024, and the higher earner had an individual income of over £50,000, they may have to pay the tax charge for 2023 to 2024. In this case, you will need to register for Self Assessment. HMRC says those who were subject to the high-income charge when the threshold was £50,000 and who opted out of receiving any payments rather than repaying it via the tax system can restart their Child Benefit payments online or via the app.

Child Benefit claimants receive National Insurance credits that count toward their eligibility for the State Pension. HMRC says this can help people who are not in paid employment and do not receive NI credits through their employer or other routes such as Universal Credit.

A person living in a household subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge will still receive NI credits if they claim Child Benefit but opt out of receiving payments. Claiming Child Benefit also makes sure the child automatically gets a National Insurance number when they turn 16.

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