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politics1d ago
HMRC accused of being ‘cavalier’ with finances of child benefit claimants
- UK tax authority HMRC is under pressure after a data-driven crackdown wrongly stopped child benefits for thousands.
- Officials say the decision to use Home Office travel data without cross-checking caused the costly error.
- Nearly 24,000 people were flagged as emigrants, but many were simply traveling or on work trips.
- HMRC says it has strengthened processes and safeguards and is giving affected parents more time to prove they are in the UK.
- The incident prompted ongoing Treasury Committee questions about HMRC’s methods and data practices.
- The Guardian and The Detail’s investigation had previously shown many affected families had valid UK ties.
- The cases included a Ukrainian national and others with caregiving duties in the UK.
- HMRC chief executive John-Paul Marks acknowledged the impact on customers and promised reforms.
- The crackdown was intended to curb fraud but produced unintended financial strain on families.
- The government aims to improve cross-checks between data sources to prevent future errors.
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