How long for claim for Child Benefit

[PaulSabin]

Hi.
I applied for Child Benefit and Tax Credits at the beginning of January. It was a fresh claim for each. I have not heard back either from the tax credits office or the child benefit office? Should I have heard by now or is it normal to wait this long?

[onlyme26]

give them a call, definatley not normal to wait this long, i mean the tax credits number is 08453003900

not sure off hand the child benefit, when was your child born? they will back date the child benefit for you from the day the child was born as far as im aware.

but you need to call both, 2 months is not normal not to have heard from them

[moonshadow]

It depends on what part of the country you live as to how efficient the office dealing with your claim is. My daughter had to wait 14 weeks for Child Benefit for the first child and 12 weeks for the second, she lives in Berkshire. As onlyme26 has stated you will get it back dated from the birth. If you are worried or really need the money it wouldn't hurt to give them a ring and let them know. What these people don't seem to understand is that a lot of the claimants really need the money to live on.