The child benefit rates for the only or eldest child in a family is currently £25.60 and the weekly rate for all other children is £16.95.

Taxpayers entitled to the child benefit should be aware that HMRC usually stop paying child benefit on the 31 August following a child’s 16th Birthday. Under qualifying circumstances, the child benefit payment can continue until a child reaches their 20th birthday if they stay in approved education or training. A qualifying young person is someone aged 16, 17, 18 or 19 in full time non-advanced education or on unpaid approved training courses.

HMRC has just sent more than 1.4 million Child Benefit reconfirmation letters to parents whose child may be affected. The letters include a QR code which, when scanned, directs them to GOV.UK to update their claim quickly and easily online. This can also be done on the HMRC app.

Parents have until 31 August 2024 to tell HMRC that their 16-year-old is continuing their education or training, and their intention to continue receiving Child Benefit. No child benefit is payable after a young person reaches the age of 20 years.

HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services recently said:

‘Child Benefit is an important financial support for many families, so make sure you don’t miss out on any payments if your teenager intends to continue approved education or training. You can quickly and easily extend your claim online or via the HMRC app, just search ‘Child Benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK.’

Child benefit is usually payable for children who come to the UK. However, there are a number of rules which must be met in order to claim. HMRC must be notified without delay if a child receiving child benefit moves permanently abroad.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has a simple guide that explains what you need to do in the 72 hours following a data breach.

The seven step approach advocated is set out below:

It’s understandable if you’re concerned about what happens next. But we’re here to help you understand what happened and to prevent it happening again.

By law, you've got to report a personal data breach to the ICO without undue delay (if it meets the threshold for reporting) and within 72 hours.

Pull the facts together as quickly as possible.

Your priority is to establish what has happened to the personal data affected. If you can recover the data, do so immediately. Also, you should do whatever you can to protect those who will be most impacted.

You should now assess what you feel the risk of harm is to those affected, whether that’s your customers, members or service users.

If possible, you should give specific and clear advice to people on the steps they can take to protect themselves, and what you’re willing to do to help them. If you don’t think there’s a high risk to the people involved, you don’t have to let them know about the incident.

If the breach is reportable, you can report it online.

The ICO have a help line you could call, 0303 123 1113, or view online advice at https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/advice-for-small-organisations/72-hours-how-to-respond-to-a-personal-data-breach/.