David Cameron warned to face 'voter backlash' over child benefit changes There are also fears that it will produce strange loopholes for divorced couples and those where one parent earns just below the threshold. The Government was also criticised last night for handing child benefit to the parents of more than 40,000 children living abroad, while preparing cut the payments for a million British households. George Osborne, the Chancellor, is coming under pressure to justify the £36 million bill for foreign children, as the Treasury takes an axe to the hand-outs worth up to £1,000 per year for higher-earning UK residents. Most of the 23,000 claimants for overseas children are foreigners working in the UK, with around two-thirds sending the cash back to children in Poland. The Treasury says it is forced to pay for the children of any UK workers who contribute National Insurance under European Union rules. However, Priti Patel, MP for Witham, who uncovered the figures, said the excuse is not good enough. She said the loophole that allows immigrants to "abuse our benefits system" must be shut down.