'Flawed' HMRC system stops hundreds of child benefit payments
Summary
Hundreds of families in Northern Ireland had their child benefit payments stopped due to a new system designed to prevent benefit fraud. The system mistakenly flagged families who returned via Dublin Airport as having emigrated, causing payment suspensions. HMRC apologized for the error and is working to resolve the issue.Key Facts
- A new anti-fraud system by HMRC mistakenly stopped child benefit payments for families returning to Northern Ireland via Dublin Airport.
- The system thought these families emigrated because they did not re-enter the UK through expected routes.
- Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes is representing 14 affected families and criticized the system as flawed.
- HMRC apologized and is working to reinstate the suspended benefit payments.
- UK and Irish citizens can travel freely without routine passport checks due to the Common Travel Area (CTA).
- HMRC is introducing a new check to avoid mistakenly suspending payments for Northern Ireland residents returning via the Republic of Ireland.
- So far, HMRC has reinstated payments for 134 out of 346 affected cases.
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