Business
‘Flawed’ HMRC system stops hundreds of NI families’ child benefit
PA MediaHundreds of families have had their child benefit payments stopped because they returned to Northern Ireland via Dublin airport.
It follows the introduction of a new government anti-fraud system designed to track those who leave the country but do not come back after eight weeks, raising a red flag at HMRC for possible emigration.
Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes, who is representing 14 of the families affected, called the system “flawed”.
As first reported in The Detail, HMRC have apologised for the mistake and said they were “working at pace” to reinstate claims so families are “not left out of pocket”.
PA MediaThe government crackdown on alleged benefit fraud compares HMRC records with Home Office international travel data.
That means families returning to Northern Ireland through Dublin Airport were mistakenly flagged as having gone abroad and were therefore fraudulently claiming benefits.
In one instance a person flew out from Belfast and back through Dublin, while in another a family had travelled to England and back again via Dublin because it was cheaper.
UK and Irish citizens can travel freely into each other’s countries under the Common Travel Area arrangement (CTA).
There are no routine passport checks when travelling through the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, meaning the UK government has no data to show that someone may have returned to Northern Ireland.
HMRC said it would be introducing an “upfront check” to identify Northern Ireland customers whose exit from the UK was to the Republic of Ireland and will not suspend their payments without first clarifying their residency.
‘Simply appalling’
Hughes, who is the MP for Newry and Armagh, told BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme that the policy was being “created in a context of being completely oblivious to the realities of life on this island”.
He said that people from Northern Ireland use Dublin Airport for a variety of reasons and it is “just as handy” to them as either airport in Belfast.
“It is quite patently a ridiculous set up, where months and months, in some cases years after returning to the north, a letter arrives at peoples doors informing them that their child benefits have been suspended and in order to get them reinstated there are extensive hoops to jump through,” he added.
“It’s simply appalling.”
He said he has received a “number of confirmations that payments have been reinstated” to some of the families he represents.
Hughes welcomed the news and added that HMRC had to ensure it did not happen again.
‘Protect taxpayers’ money’ – HMRC
HMRC said it had involved a “small number of customers in Northern Ireland”.
As of 17 October 2025, HMRC said they had had sent enquiry letters to 346 customers from Northern Ireland. This is out of 219,255 customers claiming child benefit in Northern Ireland.
HMRC also said they have reinstated payments and closed enquires to 134 people after carrying out employment checks.
There are 46 cases which are currently undergoing these checks and HMRC confirmed they will reinstate payments once they are complete.
Child benefit is paid to more 6.9 million families, supporting 11.9 million children. It is one of the most widely accessed forms of benefit in the UK.
HMRC said a successful pilot scheme focusing on those who left the UK but carried on claiming, had already prevented £17m in wrongful payments by removing them from the system.
“It’s crucial that we undertake this work to protect taxpayers’ money,” HMRC added.
New Delhi: The Cabinet on Sunday approved the Union Budget 2026-27 during a meeting in Parliament chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A meeting of the Union Cabinet was held at Sansad Bhawan at 10 a.m., and after the Cabinet’s approval, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proceeded to Parliament to present the Budget.
Earlier, FM Sitharaman met President Droupadi Murmu and offered her a copy of the digital budget. The President also offered ‘dahi-cheeni’ (curd and sugar) to Sitharaman when she arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Finance Minister was seen carrying her trademark ‘bahi-khata’, a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth bearing a golden-coloured national emblem on it.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V. Anantha Nageswaran, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Ravi Agrawal and other officials were seen accompanying the Finance Minister. Sitharaman was set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. In 2021, she switched to using a digital tablet to carry the Budget papers, further promoting a modern and eco-friendly approach.
The ‘bahi-khata’ is a red pouch that holds the digital tablet containing the Budget documents. This year, Sitharaman opted for a deep maroon Kanjeevaram saree from Tamil Nadu. The saree featured a deep maroon base with a contrasting border and subtle gold detailing, paired with a yellow blouse.
The Budget is likely to strike a deft balance of sustaining growth momentum and maintaining fiscal consolidation. It also needs to address near-term challenges emanating from unprecedented geopolitical flux, said economists. According to economists, the budget is likely to focus more on capital expenditure, especially in sectors deemed to be strategically important owing to prevailing geopolitical compulsions.
While the FY26 Budget was more tilted towards stimulating middle-class consumption with tax reliefs, the FY27 Budget’s approach to stimulating consumption will be selective, they added.
Business
Education Budget 2026 Live Updates: What Will The Education Sector Get From FM Nirmala Sitharaman?
Union Education Budget 2026 Live Updates: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2026–27 on February 1, with a strong focus expected on the Education Budget 2026, a key area of interest for students, teachers, and institutions across the country.
In the previous budget, the Bharatiya Janata Party government announced plans to add 75,000 medical seats over five years and strengthen infrastructure at IITs established after 2014. For 2025, the Centre had earmarked Rs 1,28,650.05 crore for education, a 6.65 percent rise compared to the previous year.
Meanwhile, the Economic Survey 2025–26, tabled in the Parliament of India, points to persistent challenges in school education. While enrolment at the school level is close to universal, this has not translated into consistent learning outcomes, especially beyond elementary classes. The net enrolment rate drops sharply at the secondary level, standing at just over 52 per cent.
The survey also flags concerns over student retention after Class 8, particularly in rural areas. It notes an uneven spread of schools, with a majority offering only foundational and preparatory education, while far fewer institutions provide secondary-level schooling. This gap, the survey suggests, is a key reason behind low enrolment in higher classes.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for all the latest updates on the Education Budget 2026 LIVE.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has increased the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). According to a notification, the price of LPG has risen by Rs6.37 per kilogram. Following the increase, the price of a domestic LPG cylinder has gone up by Rs75.21. The revised prices have come into effect immediately.
The rise in LPG prices has added to the inflationary burden on household consumers.
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