When Victoria Arthur's child benefit wasn't paid on Monday, her first worry was that she wouldn't have money to buy nappies and milk for her four-month-old daughter.
Like many others, the mum-of-three from Romford relies on the £238 she receives each month to buy essentials for her children.
But a payment processing error by HMRC meant around half a million claimants did not receive their benefits as scheduled, causing panic for many families.
Unable to contact the tax office and with no money in her bank account, Victoria was forced to call the city hall to get food bank vouchers, which she used to buy powdered milk, food and cereal.
“When I woke up on Monday I couldn't believe it,” she told the BBC.
“I didn't have a penny. [of Child Benefit] There was no explanation on my account and no automated text message.
“I tried to call HMRC but they wouldn't take my calls. It was very stressful. I was left in the dark.”
The tax office apologised and said the outstanding amount would be paid on Wednesday.
The company also said that anyone who suffered losses due to the glitch can apply for compensation through its complaints system.
But there has been an outpouring of anger on social media, with some parents saying the mistake has left them unable to buy food and pay their bills.
HMRC has also come under criticism for its communications, after telling concerned parents not to call its helpline on Monday and to check social media instead for updates.
“I've been worried all day.”
John Payne, a single mother of three children, two of whom have special needs, only realised her child benefit hadn't been paid when she received a notice from her bank saying the debit hadn't gone through.
At first he was confused.
Then he panicked.
The 32-year-old relies on child support to cover his daughter's ballet lessons, food and outings with the kids.
“Financial conditions have been tight over the last year so we've been using more money to pay certain bills,” John told the BBC.
John was also unable to get a direct answer from HMRC, which left him extremely frustrated.
“I had to go on Facebook to find out what was going on, and they didn't say, 'We'll resolve this in the next few days,' they just said, 'Keep checking social media.' So I was worried all day.”
Luckily, he was given time to pay the missed direct debit on Monday, but he was fined for paying the invoice late and will have to claim a refund through HMRC's complaints procedure.
You can claim child benefit if you are responsible for raising a child under 16 years old, or a child under 20 years old who is receiving approved education or training.
Only one parent can receive a payment per child, and there is no limit to the number of children who can claim.
The benefit is usually paid every four weeks and is essential for many families on low incomes. Parents can claim £25.60 a week for each child, and £16.95 a week for each additional child.
“shock”
Megan Dragon, 26, said she was “shocked” that her payment had not arrived because it is usually “really secure”.
The mother-of-four, from Northamptonshire, is not working but said the money was “vital” because her husband's income “isn't enough to support us”.
“We need money for fuel, food and the mortgage,” Megan told the BBC.
The family nearly missed their mortgage payment on Monday because of the delays, but were able to get a three-day deferral from their lender.
Megan also struggled to understand why her money had not been deposited, and it was only after she stumbled across a thread on networking site Mumsnet that she discovered the reason.
“I am disappointed and angry with HMRC as people had been warning them about this on Friday evening and Saturday morning and it appears they have ignored it – it could probably have been avoided.”
She said the family is now “back on track.”
“We're in a really fortunate position, but others aren't so fortunate.”