As students collect their GCSE results today, parents are being urged to inform HMRC if any of their children are continuing in full-time education or are undertaking an apprenticeship otherwise their child benefit and child tax credit payments could stop
Parents have until the 31 August to inform HMRC of any changes to their children’s educational details to continue receiving payments.
Alternatively, if a student leaves education or training, for example to start full-time work or because their course has ended, parents must report this change to prevent the build-up of overpayments which will have to be paid back to HMRC.
Parents can use their Personal Tax Account (PTA) to update both their child benefit and child tax credit information online.
Angela MacDonald, Director General of Customer Services, said: ‘Congratulations to all students getting their results today. Once parents or guardians know what their child has decided to do it’s really important they let us know as soon as possible, so they continue to get the right benefits and credits.
‘This can be done quickly and simply using the Personal Tax Account, which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. That means that parents can let us know their child’s education status, at a time that suits them ahead of the 31 August deadline.’
Individuals can continue to claim for teenagers aged between the ages of 16 and 19 years old if they are in qualifying full-time education or training, but they must be accepted onto qualifying education or training before their 19th birthday to be eligible.
Claimants could be given a penalty for failing to report a change, or even prosecuted for benefit fraud if they are found to have deliberately claimed money they were not entitled to.
