Fatwa ID: 06927

 

Answered by: Maulana Burhaan Rahman

 

Question:

 

What is the status of child benefits?

 

Does it belong to the children and the parents are guardians to spend for the benefit if the child?

 

Is it granted to the parents to assist in raising the child?

 

The clarification is sought because a woman is complaining about her husband not spending on the children as he ought to.

 

He rather is easy spending on himself and friends and tight when spending on the family.

 

He is an Imaam and evening Maktab teacher and refuses to take up a daytime job due to fear of losing the benefits.

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

According to the official GOVUK: Child benefit is:

 

A social security payment disbursed to the parents or guardians of children which is paid by the government child benefit office.

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

 

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

 

Only one person (mother/father/guardian) can get Child Benefit for each child.

 

It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

 

When filing for child benefits, parents should be honest and refrain from utilising the money for personal gain, as this is abusing the system and the money given to assist with child rearing. As a result, it’s a good idea to set away these funds for child-related expenses. Inshaa Allah, it is permitted if some of the monies are utilised for the parent’s or guardian’s essential needs (such as food and rent supplies). The child benefit recipient’s father or mother should not spend the money on personal expenses such as personal luxury or a vacation.

 

 

It’s unethical for father to simply go to the mosque for his prayers/maktab and then return home to use the government-provided child monies for his own advantage and luxury.

 

 

Allah SWT mentions in the Qur’an:

 

وَآتُواْ الْيَتَامَى أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَبَدَّلُواْ الْخَبِيثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حُوبًا كَبِيرًا

 

“If someone (among the guardians) is affluent, they should not take from the children’s fortune; nevertheless, if they are poor, they should be allowed to have what is just and appropriate for them.” [Surah Nisaa’ verse 5]

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Burhaan Rahman

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham