HIGH-EARNING parents in Hampshire have just under a month to register for child benefit – or face a penalty.

Figures show there are around 21,930 people in Hampshire, including around 3,450 in Southampton, who need to register for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for self-assessment by October 5 to pay the high income child benefit charge.

The figures are based on an estimate of those who needed to register as of January 7 this year, when the charge was launched.

It is a timely reminder for parents on high incomes who have continued to receive child benefit since January.

Parents with incomes of more than £50,000 and who received child benefit for the tax year 2012/13 will need to complete a self-assessment tax return for that year. HMRC warns people could be liable for a penalty at a later stage.

Those who did not receive any payments relating to the period after January 7 do not need to register for self-assessment.

HMRC’s chief executive Lin Homer, said: “HMRC wants to ensure that people avoid possible penalties and pay the right amount of tax.”

To opt out of child benefit go to hmrc.

gov.uk/childbenefitcharge.

To find out if you need to register for self-assessment go to at hmrc.gov.uk/yourtaxreturn.