Children

Government-backed savings provider NS&I has today closed applications to new customers for its five-year children's bonds, though hundreds of thousands of existing accounts can still be renewed at maturity if the child is under 16.

Parents signed up to the new Tax-Free Childcare scheme have told MoneySavingExpert.com they're unable to access money they've put into it and are struggling to pay nurseries and childminders, as massive technical problems continue to dog the site more than a month after it launched.

Parents cannot take their children out of school for term-time holidays without risking being fined, the highest court in the land has ruled. 

Parents who experience the tragic loss of a child aged 16 or 17 can now benefit from free funeral arrangements, after Co-op Funeralcare extended its long-standing free child funerals policy to include older children.

The new Tax-Free Childcare scheme which gives eligible families an extra 20% towards childcare costs will launch in April, the Chancellor announced today. But with just one month to go, details about how it will work are still sketchy.

An MP calling for the Government to fund the cost of child funerals is confident of "significant cross-party support" for her campaign, which if successful would mean grieving families no longer have to pay £1,000s to lay their children to rest.

Tens of thousands of households are entitled to a refund from the Government after missing out on tax credits for disabled children – those affected may be owed up to £4,368 for the current tax year, but you won't be able to backdate refunds.

Winners of Blue Peter badges will no longer get free entry to Legoland Windsor, Chessington World of Adventures or dozens of other attractions run by Merlin Entertainments from the start of next year, after the firm ended its long-standing agreement with the BBC.

Budget airline Ryanair is to force passengers travelling with young children to pay a £4 seat reservation fee on any flights booked after 1 September, in the latest development in the ongoing row over whether parents should be able to sit next to their kids on flights for free.

Online school payments system ParentPay expects to complete a second major overhaul of its website next month after a previous revamp proved hugely unpopular with parents and led to children going hungry at school.