Warning to Child Benefit Claimants About Missing National Insurance Credits

Child Benefit helps claim National Insurance credits.

High income claimants should check for missed credits now.

Child Benefit is paid to those caring for children under 16 or in education/training under 20.

It's worth £27.50/week for the first child and £17.90 for additional children. However, high earners pay some back. The charge applies if you or your partner earns over £60,000. You pay back 1% of Child Benefit for every £100 earned over £50,000. High earners may want to consider not claiming.

This is known as the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

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Earning over £60,000 means paying back 1% of Child Benefit for every £100 earned over £50,000. Earning over £80,000 means paying back all Child Benefit. The threshold was previously £50,000.

Before 2024, the threshold was £50,000.

Not claiming Child Benefit avoids the high income charge but means missing National Insurance credits.

Child Benefit provides National Insurance credits if your child is under 12. These credits help build state pension entitlement when out of work.

The government announced a new system for claiming backdated credits in April 2023.

The system was due to launch in April 2026 but is delayed to April 2027. MoneySavingExpert.com urges certain people to act now. The delay may affect those close to state pension age.

The MSE team says the delay won't affect most people but urges those near state pension age to complain to HMRC.

HMRC expects few to be impacted but MSE urges affected individuals to complain now.

You may be affected if you're at state pension age with less than the full amount due to caring for children since 2013.

You may also be affected if you're due to reach state pension age before April 2027 with gaps in your National Insurance record from caring for children since 2013.

The Mirror has contacted HMRC for comment.

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