......that could see them lose their subsidies

The taxman has failed to inform around a third of all families set to lose child benefit they will no longer be eligible for the handout. The benefit is to be means-tested from next Monday - with 1.1 million people affected by the changes. But HM Revenue and Customs has only written to around 800,000, with 300,0000 remaining uninformed. Those continuing to claim child benefit will also need to fill in self-assessment tax returns — or face fines running into hundreds of pounds a year under the new rules, the HMRC said.

HMRC said it had been unable to inform everyone as it held incomplete data on some customers following changes to their income, relationship status, or address. The comments came as warnings were voiced from some quarters that the new system and its implications for certain taxpayers could catch people unawares. From next week, families in which one parent earns more than £60,000 a year will lose all their benefit, which is currently £20.30 a week for the first child and £13.40 for each child after that. Families where one parent earns between £50,000 and £60,000 will have the benefit reduced on a sliding scale. The change will cost families with three children and at least one parent earning over £60,000 about £2,450 a year.....More on this story: Taxman fails to tell 300,000 families about changes to child benefit that could see them lose their subsidies