A mum from Bracknell has reacted with dismay over her child benefit being cancelled ‘by mistake’ by the government, a year after a holiday to Morocco.
Priscilla Holness, 51, Warfield, took her son Mason to Morocco on a joint celebration for their birthdays in February last year.
But more than a year afterwards, His Majesty’s Revenues and Customs (HMRC) cancelled the child benefit she receives as a single parent.
Ms Holness said: “We went on holiday for 10 days, we came back and everything was fine.
“But a month ago, I noticed the child benefit had stopped and hadn’t been paid since September.
“They said that they had been notified by the Home Office that they only had a record of us leaving the UK and no Morocco and no record of us returning.
“Until I can prove I came back into the country, they won’t resume the child benefit.
“They want evidence bank statements, attendance reports, hospital appointments and on and on. Apparently, I’m not the first person this has happened to. I’m fuming.
“We only went on holiday. To keep on claiming, you have to come back within eight weeks – but it was only 10 days!”
Addressing government staff, she said: “I do work, why can’t you see that in my taxes?
“They tell me I could’ve been working remotely, but I work for a school, I couldn’t do my job remotely.”
A person can receive £26.05 per week of child benefit for a single child, the amount Ms Holness receives.
It is estimated she has lost approximately £260 because of the error.
Ms Holness said: “I did fill in a form they asked me to do, but it was the most ridiculous form because none of it was relevant.
“It asks, are you working while abroad, and did you work in the UK before you went?
“The woman I spoke to said I have to fill in the form, but I’ve got enough on my plate without this adding to it. It’s just awful. I don’t understand how this mistake has happened.”
She added that both her and Mason’s passports were stamped on entry to Morocco and return to the UK.
A spokesperson for HMRC acknowledged the child benefit had been stopped incorrectly, but was unable to comment on Ms Holness’s specific case due to confidentiality.
They said: “We’re very sorry to those whose payments have been suspended incorrectly.
“We have taken immediate action to update the process, giving customers one month to respond before payments are suspended.
“We remain committed to protecting taxpayers’ money and are confident that the majority of suspensions are accurate.”
HMRC has reviewed its processes and checks claims with people first and wirting to them before suspending any payments.
If suspensions are conducted in error, HMRC will resume payments and make any backdated payments, so no one is left out of pocket.
