Are you a parent missing out on £27 a week? Here's how to check
Thousands of parents in the UK are missing out on weekly child benefit payments because they fail to register within the first year of their child's life. The article explains the eligibility criteria and the importance of completing the necessary paperwork to receive these funds and National Insurance credits.
Why it matters
Many families are losing hundreds of pounds in unclaimed government support due to administrative oversights during the transition to parenthood.
Image source, Getty Images By Kevin Peachey Cost of living correspondent Published 1 hour ago Thousands more parents could receive £27 a week by remembering some paperwork shortly after their baby is born.
Child benefit is an allowance that helps with the cost of bringing up children. It is currently worth £27.05 a week for the first child, and £17.90 a week for each subsequent child.
Official data shows that parents of nearly a third of children eligible for child benefit do not make a claim before their baby's first birthday.
Payments can only be backdated for three months, meaning some families could be missing out on hundreds of pounds in the fog of new parenthood.
The annual publication of the most popular baby names could serve as a reminder to some parents that there are other pieces of official paperwork to complete.
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