A major glitch in the systems of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has left approximately 500,000 individuals without their scheduled child benefit payments, sparking concerns and inconvenience for affected families.
Reports indicate that almost a third of the child benefit payments slated for today failed to materialise, prompting a flurry of inquiries and complaints from impacted recipients. HMRC swiftly issued an apology and assured the public that they were diligently working to rectify the issue.
“We’re sorry that some customers’ child benefit payments have not arrived as scheduled and we are working urgently to resolve the issue,” stated an HMRC spokesperson.
Furthermore, HMRC clarified that the payment problems encountered today would not affect payments scheduled for tomorrow, seeking to alleviate concerns among recipients awaiting their entitlements.
Under normal circumstances, child benefit payments are disbursed every four weeks on either a Monday or Tuesday. The standard rate stands at £25.60 for the eldest or only child and £16.95 per additional child. However, some individuals may receive the benefit weekly, particularly if they are single parents or recipients of certain other benefits like universal credit.
Amidst the disruption, HMRC underscored that affected individuals need not inundate their helplines with inquiries, as updates regarding the resolution of the issue will be provided via social media channels.
As of August 2023, statistics reveal that approximately 6.91 million families across the UK were recipients of child benefit payments, highlighting the widespread impact of this administrative setback.
