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Child benefit: government urged to raise high income charge threshold

Decision would avoid a hit to basic-rate taxpayers from April, say campaigners
The level at which the high income child benefit charge kicks in should be increased so that basic-rate taxpayers do not have to start paying, a campaign group has said.
Currently, anyone earning more than £50,000 a year must start paying back child benefit that they or their partner claims. The charge is gradual and is equal to 1% of the amount of child benefit for each £100 of income between £50,000 and £60,000.
The government’s spending review in November confirmed that from April 2021, higher-rate tax will start at £50,270, meaning that for the first time some basic-rate taxpayers will face the charge.
The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) said this was “contrary to the original policy intent”, which was to target higher-rate taxpayers, and likely to cause problems for raising awareness about the charge.
When the charge and £50,000 threshold were introduced, higher-rate tax started when an individual was earning £42,475 a year.
Last year, HMRC sent 73,000 letters to parents asking them to check if they should be paying the charge.
LITRG is calling for the threshold to be increased in March’s budget. It also wants the point at which the benefit is fully clawed back to be increased from £60,000 to £70,000.
Tom Henderson, a technical officer for LITRG, said: “When the high income child benefit charge was announced in 2010, the government’s policy intent was that it would only affect higher-rate taxpayers from January 2013.
“The government has so far resisted calls to uprate the £50,000 threshold but this is no longer tenable now the higher-rate threshold will overtake it from 6 April 2021.”
source: Hilary Osborne
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- April 23, 2025
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Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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