HMRC issues worrying update as £168 Child Benefit payments missing from bank accounts

The HMRC phone line has gone into meltdown after it was inundated with calls over missing Child Benefit payments.

Millions of parents across the country were relying on payments arriving in their bank accounts to cover essential costs, including groceries.

The standard payment for one child is now £102.40 from HMRC, increasing by another £67.80 to £168.20 for those with two children or more.

However, it appears thousands of people have not received the expected payments this morning, leaving some facing a financial crisis.

HMRC Customer Support put out a statement saying: “We’re aware some customers' Child Benefit payments have not arrived and we’re working to resolve the issue.”

In an update, a spokesperson added: “There's no need for customers to call us and we will provide updates here as soon as they are available."

One angry mother, Cheryl Archbald, contacted HMRC direct to complain, saying the money should have arrived on Friday.

After a long wait in the telephone queue, she was assured the cash would be in the account today, but again there is no sign of it.

She wrote: “There is a cost of living crisis going on people don’t have the means to support other people due to your massive error.

“Spoke to HMRC on Friday who advised me it would definitely be paid on Monday.

“I’m being passed from pillar to post. You say talk to the bank the bank says to talk to you. What’s going on!?”

She added: ““You’re putting strain on families in already difficult times! Get it sorted.”

Later, she added: “So now you’ve got a message on your phone lines stating if people are calling about child benefit to hang up and to keep checking the bank throughout the day….. no answers, no explanation.

“I would like to know why me and many others haven’t been paid.”

Other parents also took to social media to complain they have not received expected payments.

Charlee Martin wrote: “I haven’t received mine either, normally every Monday without fail, I now have nothing to get shopping in.”

Steven Lee hit out, saying: “So 7.5 million households across the UK claim Child benefit, some even rely upon this.

“Yet no payment for those who claim and then a s**** statement is put out which doesn’t help in any way … Disgusting.”

Another added: "Like many others my child benefit has not gone in today, I’m now left like many other parents short especially as it goes towards our food shopping what is going on?"

One parent said: "Hello, like others I haven’t received my child benefit today, my son hasn’t been able to go to school as I haven’t been able to purchase his bus pass. Can anyone please tell us what’s happening?"

Another added: "Woke up this morning to find my Tesco order cancelled due to lack of funds... yet ordered specifically to be delivered before school run, with children's lunch box bits but due to no child benefit payment, there wasn't enough funds in my account."

You get child benefit, which is paid monthly, if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.

Only one person can get child benefit for a child, but there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for. An allowance is paid to a parent for each child, which you usually get every four weeks.