Thousands of families across the UK have had their child benefit payments wrongly suspended after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) flagged them as having left the country. The suspensions were part of a high-profile government drive to tackle benefit fraud using border and travel data. Officials said the scheme aimed to protect public funds and prevent ineligible claims.
In practice, the rollout caught many legitimate claimants, including parents who had only taken short holidays or business trips, as well as those travelling through Dublin airport, where there are no routine UK border checks. Families reported receiving letters notifying them of suspensions without prior contact, creating confusion and financial stress.
