Overview

• HMRC data reveals 214,000 eligible parents have not claimed Child Benefit, a rise of 66,000 since 2020
• Child Benefit provides £26.05 weekly for the eldest child and £17.25 for each additional child, equating to up to £1,354 annually for one child
• Claiming for children under 12 automatically awards Class 3 National Insurance credits that count toward the 35 qualifying years needed for a full state pension
• Parents earning over £60,000 face a tapering High Income Child Benefit Charge that withdraws 1% of benefit for every £200 earned above the threshold, with full clawback at £80,000
• To tackle under-claiming, HMRC has introduced new digital PAYE services, launched awareness campaigns and allows backdating of claims by up to three months