John Healey Faces Fury as Treasury Makes Shocking Admission About Child Benefit Payments to People Who Have Left the UK

Labour is facing fresh criticism after the UK tax office admitted it does not keep figures showing how much Child Benefit money is being paid to people who have moved abroad.

The admission has raised serious questions about how taxpayers’ money is being managed, especially after HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) revealed that around £270 million in Child Benefit was wrongly claimed last year.

There are concerns that some of these incorrect payments may have gone to parents who left the UK but continued receiving money they were no longer entitled to.

The Conservatives are now demanding answers from the Labour Government, saying British taxpayers deserve to know how much of their money is being paid to people living outside the country.

The issue came to light after the Government was questioned in Parliament about Child Benefit payments to parents who had moved abroad.

Treasury minister Lord Pitt-Watson responded by admitting that HMRC does not produce statistics showing the total amount of Child Benefit paid to people outside the UK.

This means the tax office cannot provide a clear figure for how much money is being sent overseas through the benefit system.

The admission has angered Conservative politicians, who believe the Government should be doing more to prevent people from receiving benefits they are no longer entitled to.

Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith criticised Labour, accusing the Government of failing to take welfare fraud seriously.

He argued that ordinary taxpayers face strict rules and checks when dealing with HMRC, yet the authorities cannot explain how much Child Benefit money is going to people who have left Britain.

Griffith also claimed that the Conservatives would save £36 billion by making changes to the welfare system, allowing taxpayers to keep more of their earnings.

However, HMRC has defended its efforts, insisting that it is already taking action to stop incorrect Child Benefit payments.

According to the tax office, the number of staff checking Child Benefit claims has increased fourfold over the past five years.

HMRC has also started using international travel information to identify families who may have moved abroad while continuing to receive payments.

Officials believe this approach will help them find people who are no longer eligible and prevent further incorrect payments.

The tax office says these checks have already protected more than £50 million of taxpayers’ money.

It also expects the measures to save around £285 million by the 2029–2030 financial year.

An HMRC spokesperson explained that the department takes fraud and mistakes involving Child Benefit seriously and is working to identify people who may no longer qualify.

The spokesperson added that thousands of incorrect claims have already been prevented, saving taxpayers tens of millions of pounds.

Despite these efforts, critics remain concerned that the Government cannot provide an exact figure for the amount of Child Benefit being paid to people outside the UK.

They argue that without proper records, it becomes difficult to understand how serious the problem is or whether enough is being done to stop it.

However, receiving Child Benefit while living abroad is not automatically illegal. Some people may still qualify under certain rules, depending on their circumstances.

The £270 million figure also covers incorrect Child Benefit claims generally and does not mean that the entire amount was paid to people living overseas.

For now, the admission has sparked fresh debate about the UK’s welfare system, with growing calls for the Government to explain how it monitors payments and protects taxpayers’ money.