Turns out the fog of new parenthood - characterized by sleep deprivation, existential dread, and a surprising amount of laundry - is also costing families hundreds of pounds. Child benefit, currently worth £27.05 a week for the first child and £17.90 for each additional child, is being left on the table by parents of nearly a third of eligible children who don't claim before the baby's first birthday.

Official data reveals that only 69% of the 6.8 million parents receiving child benefit in the year to August 2025 managed to navigate the paperwork before their child turned one. Since payments can only be backdated three months, some families are missing out on hundreds of pounds, presumably because they were too busy keeping a tiny human alive.

To claim, parents need a birth or adoption certificate and a National Insurance number - items that somehow feel as elusive as a full night's sleep. The High Income Child Benefit Charge further complicates things: payments reduce if one parent earns £60,000 a year and vanish entirely at £80,000. So some parents may be voluntarily skipping the paperwork, which is one way to avoid bureaucracy, we suppose.

In related news, the Office for National Statistics released the most popular baby names for 2025, which could serve as a reminder that yes, there is other official paperwork to complete. Olivia held the top spot for girls for the 10th year running in England and Wales, while Muhammad topped the boys' list for the third year. In Scotland, Freya dethroned Olivia, and Noah remained king for boys. Congratulations to all the parents of little Olivias and Muhammads - now go claim your £27 a week.