Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of extending the three month grace period for parents in receipt of child benefit who could not register the birth of a child as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government announced on 7 April 2020 that, as General Register Offices have been closed or operating at a reduced capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak, HM Revenue and Customs would allow parents to claim Child Benefit for their newborns without having to register their child’s birth first, to ensure they do not miss out on Child Benefit payments. Child Benefit can be backdated for up to three months.

The press release announcing these measures is at:

www.gov.uk/government/news/dont-miss-out-claim-child-benefit-by-phone-or-post-hmrc-tells-new-parents