A Digital Milestone Making Child Benefit Claims Online for the First Time in the UK

While the pandemic accelerates the pace of digitization and private companies are quick to embrace it, its adoption rate is still slow in government entities. In such a scenario, the progressive move of making child benefit claims online by the HMRC is a significant digital milestone. So, if you are someone making a child benefit claim for the first time in the UK, read the blog to know what child benefit is, the process of its online application and much more. 

Understanding Child Benefit

Started in 1977, Child Benefit is a tax-free payment by the UK government. The aim is to help parents or guardians in raising kids under 16 (left education or training) or under 20 (if studying in an approved education or training). Currently, this child benefit is £24 a week for only one child and £15.90 a week for an additional child. However, it has been notified that from 6 April 2024, the threshold for high income child benefit will increase from £50,000 to £60,000.

The best thing about this payment is that children will automatically receive a National Insurance number when they turn 16 years old which is essential to do almost everything starting from getting the first job to applying for university finance. Also, those who are claiming child benefits automatically receive the National Insurance Credits if the child for whom they are making the claim is under the age of 12 years.

Digitization-Enhancing Efficiency

Over the years, the UK government has been strongly committed to improving its public services with the help of digitization. The traditional method of claiming child benefits was not only time-consuming but also involved a lot of paperwork. The new online process has eliminated all these challenges faced by parents and guardians and has now enabled them to receive their first payment within three days instead of the previous 15-16 weeks.

Applying for Child Benefit Online: A Seamless Experience

The application process is easy involving only a few steps that are as follows:

• Visit the HMRC website and go to the Child Benefit page under ‘Financial help if you have children’.
• Now click on ‘Make a claim’ and a new web page will appear
• Scroll down and click on the green button ‘Start now’ 
• There will be two options –yes and no for whether the applicant is eager to sign in by using the Government gateway or not.
• To sign in via the government gateway, enter a user ID which could be up to 12 characters and a password
• Keep personal information such as the child’s birth certificate or adoption certificate, the applicant’s bank or building society details, and national insurance number handy to fill out the online form 
• There will be a few questions regarding the child, applicant i.e. parent or guardian of the child, and partner of the applicant (if any)
• The last step is to submit the claim online. There is a provision to check all the answers before sending the online application.

Parents can also apply for child benefits online through the HMRC app which is available both on the app store and Google Play Store.

In conclusion, the new initiative of the HMRC is a milestone towards the digitization of other public service benefits by leveraging the power of technology. As a UK-based accounting firm serving countless families in and around London and Harrow, we strongly recommend parents and guardians take advantage of the convenience offered by the HMRC.