Date of review (including backdating)
Include the new born child in the benefit and pay family tax credit from the:
- date of birth or
- date the client's benefit was granted
whichever is the later.
Backdating
Where a client requests the backdated inclusion of a child and the previous caregiver was in receipt of a benefit for the child, you will need to review when the child was excluded from the previous caregivers benefit.
Note a child cannot be included in two benefits for the same period.
Have regard to all the circumstances and decide whether a debt should be established for the previous caregiver.
If the date you are including the child from is a date in the previous tax year, SWIFTT will only pay arrears of family tax credit from the beginning of the current tax year, that is, 1 April. You will need to advise the client that any arrears of family tax credit prior to this date will need to be claimed from Inland Revenue.
You will need to do a backdated review in the SBDR screen to pay any benefit arrears to the client for the previous tax year. A backdated review may be required for the current year if other rate changes have occurred - check the SRAUI screen for details.
For more information see:
- Processing standards Child changes [no link find out why]
Legislation
- Beneficiary must notify change of circumstances section 113 Social Security Act 2018
- Review of entitlement to, or rate of, benefit granted Part 6, subpart 3 Social Security Act 2018
