HMRC sending bumper £216.40 Monday payments to households in June | Personal Finance | Finance

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be sending bumper payments totalling £216.40 to some UK households claiming Child Benefit in June. Child Benefit can be claimed by parents or guardians who are responsible for raising a child under the age of 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training. Thanks to a 3.8% uplift at the start of the new tax year on April 6, the benefit is now worth £27.05 per week for the eldest or only child, while the weekly rate for each additional child has increased to £17.90.

Child Benefit is paid out to claimants by HMRC every four weeks, which means parents with one child can get £108.20 in every four week period, while those with additional children will get £71.60 in the same period. HMRC usually issues payments every four weeks on a Monday or a Tuesday, although this can change if the date clashes with a bank holiday, in which case payments will be issued on the earliest working day before.

Because June has five Mondays, it means some Child Benefit claimants will be paid twice by HMRC next month, giving households a bumper amount of £216.40 in June.

This will be the case if your normal payment date falls on Monday, June 1, as it means your next payment will be due in the same month, four weeks later on Monday, June 29.

Explaining how and when payments are made, HMRC said: “Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Monday or Tuesday. There are different payment dates if it’s due on a bank holiday.

“You can work out when you’re next going to get Child Benefit by counting 4 weeks forward from your last payment. Do not count forward if your payment was due on a bank holiday – the dates are different.

“Your payment might be delayed if the bank is closed for a public holiday on the day HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) pays you. Check with your bank for the date you’ll get your payment.”

According to new figures from HMRC this month, more than 6.8 million families are claiming Child Benefit but more than 30% of new parents are missing out on payments by failing to claim in their baby’s first year.

There is no limit as to how many children parents can claim for and claims can be made just 48 hours after the baby’s birth is registered, so it’s well worth taking the time to apply for it.

Child Benefit can only be backdated for up to three months from the date HMRC receives the claim, meaning thousands of families are currently not getting what they’re entitled to receive.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Spring is a wonderful time to welcome a baby and claiming Child Benefit as soon as possible means your family can benefit from much-needed financial support. It is quick and easy to claim Child Benefit via the HMRC app at a time that suits you.”