36,800 families in Barnet were receiving child benefit payments as of the end of August, a decrease of roughly 165 families on the year before reports Adam Care, Data Reporter

Two silhouetted children in the air on swings — Recipients get £25.06 a week for their first child, and £17.25 for each additional child – (Credit – Radar)

The number of families who received child benefit in Barnet fell last year, bucking the national trend, new figures show.

Across the UK, the number who received payments has remained steady after years of decline. But anti-poverty campaign group Turn2Us warned many are still put off claiming by the “complicated and frustrating” welfare system.

New HMRC figures show some 36,800 families in Barnet were receiving child benefit payments as of the end of August.

This was a decrease of roughly 165 families on the year before, and a decrease on five years ago, when there were 40,215 in receipt. The figures are rounded to the nearest five.

Lucy Bannister, head of policy at Turn2us said: “Our social security system should be there for all of us, especially when we need it most. However, often people are not claiming what they are entitled to because of a complicated and frustrating system.”

She added: “Rising child poverty means more children going without and missing out.”

Child benefit is paid to any parent or guardian responsible for raising a child under 16, or under 20 if they’re in approved education or training. Only one person can claim for each child, but there is no limit to how many children you can claim for.

Recipients get £25.06 a week for their first child, and £17.25 for each additional child.

Nationally, there were 6.9 million families in receipt of child benefit, broadly in line with the year before. However, the number of families eligible to claim child benefit who then opted out of receiving payments decreased by 4%.

HMRC said this was likely due to the increase in the High Income Child Benefit Charge threshold in 2024, which affects high-earning families claiming child benefit.

Thomas Cave, policy manager at The Children’s Society said: “The drop in the number of families claiming Child Benefit is likely down to fewer births and years of frozen thresholds that didn’t keep up with the cost of living and pushed more families out of eligibility, even if they weren’t any better off.

“The recent threshold increase to £60,000 is welcome, but many parents may not even realise they’re now entitled to claim again.

“This isn’t about the two-child limit, which affects Universal Credit, not Child Benefit – but it is a clear reminder of how quietly families can be priced out of vital help.”

The figures also show there are around 63,680 children in families claiming child benefit in Barnet, fewer than the 64,400 a year earlier. Of the families receiving payment, some 34,840 had fewer than four children, while the rest had four or more.

An HMRC spokesperson said the government will continue to promote Child Benefit and is working with pregnancy and parenting organisations to inform new parents of their entitlements.

They added: “We continue to encourage all families to claim Child Benefit to help with the cost of raising their children and get National Insurance credits towards their State Pension, which they receive even if they opt out of payments.”

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