Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations he has received on parents who have mistakenly omitted to claim child benefit and as a result lost out on national insurance state pension credits; and what steps his Department is taking to help those people.

The Government has always urged families to claim Child Benefit to help protect their future right to the State Pension. Child Benefit claimants on a high income can then opt not to receive payments so they do not have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

Families should still complete the Child Benefit claim form in order to qualify for National Insurance Credits and thus build qualifying years towards the State Pension. Parents are advised to do this on the Child Benefit claim form (which is included in Bounty Packs that go to new parents), through the HMRC helpline, online at GOV.UK and through partners such as Citizen’s Advice.

The Government is continuously looking at ways in which communications can be improved further, both at the birth of a child and for existing Child Benefit claimants.