HMRC error suspends child benefits for thousands in Northern Ireland after Dublin travel

Thousands of families in Northern Ireland have had their Child Benefit payments mistakenly stopped due to a flawed UK government anti-fraud system that tracks emigration by monitoring travel data. The system, designed to identify claimants who leave the UK and do not return within eight weeks, failed to account for common travel practices where many Northern Irish families fly out from Belfast but return via Dublin Airport, creating the false impression that they had not come back. This error affected around 346 families, with many required to provide extensive proof to HMRC to reinstate payments. HMRC has apologized for the mistake and is working to reinstate payments, introducing new checks to avoid suspending benefits for those traveling through the Republic of Ireland. The issue highlights the challenges of borderless travel within the island of Ireland and the limitations of the government's data systems in accurately tracking residency and benefit eligibility. Political representatives have welcomed the reinstatements but called for greater caution to prevent future errors.