Oldham's new parents claiming Child Benefit reminded to register births Date published: 17 December 2020 Local register offices are Covid-secure and are all operating at full capacity Parents in Oldham are being urged to register the birth of their newborns, so HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can verify their Child Benefit claims. Normally, a birth must be registered before claiming Child Benefit. However, with some local register offices operating at reduced capacity and some parents unable to go to them because of COVID-19, HMRC announced in April that claims could be made without having to register the child’s birth first. More than 100,000 parents across the UK have been able to take advantage of this temporary change, ensuring that they receive this vital form of financial support.