WHAT DO I DO IF…?

I’M ON MATERNITY LEAVE OR ABOUT TO BE

Protect your NI credits for the period in which you are not working during your maternity leave. Make a claim at gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim.

DUE TO HIGH EARNINGS, I HAVEN'T APPLIED

Call the Child Benefit helpline (0300 200 3100) and opt to receive just the NI credits – not the benefit itself. You can ask for it to be backdated for three months.

I THINK I OWE TAX AND MISTAKENLY HAVEN’T DECLARED IT

Complete a tax return. Register online at gov.uk/log-in-file-self-assessment-taxreturn. You’ll be sent a password to open a Government Gateway account, so you can compete your tax return online.

I HAVE BEEN FINED BY HMRC FOR LATE REPAYMENT OR FOR NOT DECLARING MY HIGH INCOME

There’s good news. HMRC said it would refund fines to those parents where it was deemed unfair. HMRC will write to those affected; you do not have to do anything.

I DIDN'T APPLY AND HAVE MISSED OUT ON NI CREDITS

The Government doesn’t have plans to backdate NI credits for parents who decided not to apply for Child Benefit. So, if you had a baby from 2013 onwards and didn’t make a claim, this may affect your State Pension. If you feel this is unfair, join the campaign to have NI credits backdated (see below).