On the back of previous concerns about the premium rate Benefits Helpline, I have just received this from our Manchester office, originally from Herts CC apparently:

We took a call from a social worker last week - she was struggling to get through to CB info line - and she said the number off the website she found via Google was a premium rate one!

We googled 'child benefit' and the top link was - child benefit.org uk (see below) - an unofficial site with an 11p per minute rate (higher from some mobiles) contact number (see below). From August 1st 2009, 0871 numbers will be officially classed as premium rate by the way.

They even have an on-line application form - promising a 7 day turn around which captures confidential info - that they will check and then send to you to sign and send on to CB.

The second link was to Benefits Helpline, which charges £1.50 per minute for benefits advice, which has already been subject to 'warnings' in the advice world.

Please let organisations in your area know that neither of these are the official HMRC child benefit site and try to warn them off!

I'm wondering if there is any pressure the WRO's can bring to bear on search sites like Google? After all, to be a top link, don't you have to pay for that privilege?
and if they refuse to entertain a reasonable request... surely theres a news item for the red tops....may not get the original result, but would raise awareness.