Child Benefit is a UK payment for anyone bringing up a child under 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training. As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK lists 27.05 pounds a week for the eldest or only child and 17.90 pounds a week for each additional child, usually paid every 4 weeks.
Lots of parents talk themselves out of claiming Child Benefit once their salary goes up. I think that's usually the wrong call, because the claim does more than put money in your account. Below is what GOV.UK says about the rates, who qualifies, how to claim and how the High Income Child Benefit Charge works, in plain English and without the jargon.
What Child Benefit pays each week
GOV.UK says there are 2 Child Benefit rates. The higher one goes to the eldest or only child in the claim, and every child after that gets the lower one. These are the weekly figures GOV.UK publishes, as of Nov 2026:
| Who the allowance is for | Weekly rate |
|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | 27.05 pounds |
| Each additional child | 17.90 pounds per child |
There's no limit to how many children you can claim for, but only one person can get Child Benefit for any one child. It's usually paid every 4 weeks. If you're paid too much or too little, GOV.UK says you must contact the Child Benefit Office.
Child Benefit counts towards the benefit cap. If the cap affects you, you'll still get your full Child Benefit, but your other benefits may be reduced to keep the household total under the cap.
Separated families and families that join together
If a family splits up, the parent who claims gets 27.05 pounds a week for the eldest child. So if you have 2 children and one lives with you while the other lives with your ex-partner, you'll each get the higher rate. If you're entitled to Child Benefit for any other children, you'll get 17.90 pounds for each of them.
It works the other way when families join. If you move in with a partner who also claims Child Benefit, the household gets 27.05 pounds for the eldest child and 17.90 pounds for any younger children. You can claim for different children, but you can't both claim the higher rate while you live together, and GOV.UK warns you may have to pay some of the money back if you do. You must report the change in your family circumstances.
Who qualifies for Child Benefit
You normally qualify if you're responsible for a child under 16 and you live in the UK. GOV.UK says you'll usually count as responsible if you live with the child, or you're paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit towards looking after them, for example on food, clothes or pocket money.
- Children aged 16 to 19: you'll normally still qualify if your child is under 20 and stays in approved education or training. If a 16 or 17 year old leaves and registers with a government careers service or the armed services, you can apply for Child Benefit to carry on for 20 weeks.
- Fostering: you'll get Child Benefit as long as the local council isn't paying anything towards the child's accommodation or maintenance.
- Adopting: you can claim as soon as the child comes to live with you. You don't have to wait until the adoption is complete.
- Looking after a friend or relative's child: you may be able to claim under an informal arrangement, but you might not qualify if the council pays towards the child's keep.
- Two adults responsible for one child: you agree between yourselves who claims. If you can't agree, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) decides.
- EU Settlement Scheme: settled status means you can claim. With pre-settled status you can claim if one of GOV.UK's conditions applies, such as earning above the National Insurance primary threshold for 3 continuous months, or looking for work (you can claim as a jobseeker for 91 days unless you get a job offer).
Child Benefit stops if your child starts paid work for 24 hours or more a week and leaves approved education or training, starts an apprenticeship in England, or starts getting certain benefits in their own right, such as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit.
Claiming Child Benefit online in five steps
- Wait until 48 hours after you've registered the birth, or until the child comes to live with you. That's the earliest point GOV.UK says you can claim.
- Decide who should claim. Only one of you can, and whoever claims gets the National Insurance credits towards their State Pension, which matters most for a parent who isn't working or doesn't earn enough to pay contributions.
- Gather your child's birth or adoption certificate (if you have it), your bank or building society details, your National Insurance number if you have one, and your partner's National Insurance number if you have a partner.
- Use the GOV.UK online service to make the claim. The same service lets you add another child to an existing claim. If you can't apply online, you can claim by post or by phone.
- Send the certificate if you're asked for it. If your child's birth was registered outside the UK, you'll need to send the original birth or adoption certificate plus their passport or travel document. Documents are usually returned in 4 weeks.
You can still claim without the certificate. It takes longer, and you may be asked to send it later, but if the claim succeeds it's backdated for up to 3 months from the date you make it. Child Benefit can't be backdated further than that, which is why a late claim simply loses money.
How the High Income Child Benefit Charge works
The charge applies if you or your partner gets Child Benefit and at least one of you has an individual income over the threshold. GOV.UK sets the threshold at 60,000 pounds for tax years starting from the 2024 to 2025 tax year, and 50,000 pounds for tax years up to and including 2023 to 2024.
The test is your adjusted net income. That's your total taxable income, including savings interest and dividends, worked out before any Personal Allowances and less certain tax reliefs such as pension contributions and Gift Aid. If both of you are over the threshold, whoever has the higher adjusted net income pays the charge. It can also apply if someone else gets Child Benefit for a child who lives with you and you contribute at least an equal amount towards the child's upkeep, even if the child isn't your own.
You can pay the charge through PAYE or through Self Assessment. You must use Self Assessment if you already send a tax return for another reason, such as being self-employed, or if it's later than 31 January in the year after the tax year you're paying for.
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The 60,000 to 80,000 band where the charge tapers
Here's the part most people don't expect. GOV.UK says you pay back 1% of your Child Benefit for every 200 pounds you earn over 60,000 pounds, and if you earn over 80,000 pounds you pay it all back. For the 2023 to 2024 tax year or earlier, the rule was 1% for every 100 pounds earned over 50,000 pounds.
By GOV.UK's own rule, someone with an adjusted net income halfway through that band, at 70,000, would pay back about half of their Child Benefit, not all of it. GOV.UK also says the charge will never be more than the Child Benefit you get. The Child Benefit tax calculator on GOV.UK gives you an estimate for your own figures.
If you'd rather not pay the charge, you can claim and then opt out of the payments. You stay registered, you don't pay the charge, and you still get National Insurance credits that count towards your State Pension, plus a National Insurance number for your child shortly before they turn 16.
Plain advice before you claim Child Benefit
Claim as soon as GOV.UK allows, even if you expect the tax charge to wipe out the payment, because the National Insurance credits and your child's National Insurance number come from the claim, not from the cash. Check the High Income Child Benefit Charge page on GOV.UK and run the Child Benefit tax calculator before you decide whether to take the payments or opt out.
If the charge leaves less coming in each month, these money-saving tips that work and this round-up of the best money-saving apps in the UK are good places to claw some of it back. And if family circumstances change, report it straight away. It's much easier than repaying an overpayment later.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Child Benefit a week?
As of Nov 2026, GOV.UK lists 27.05 pounds a week for the eldest or only child and 17.90 pounds a week for each additional child. It's usually paid every 4 weeks.
Can I get Child Benefit if I earn over 60,000 pounds?
Yes, you can still claim. You may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which takes back 1% of the payment for every 200 pounds of income over 60,000 pounds, or you can opt out of payments and keep the National Insurance credits.
How far back can Child Benefit be backdated?
GOV.UK says a claim can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you make it, so it's worth claiming as soon as you can.
When can I claim Child Benefit for a newborn?
You can claim 48 hours after you've registered the birth. You can claim without the birth certificate, though it takes longer and you may be asked to send it later.
Does Child Benefit stop when my child turns 16?
Not always. You'll normally still qualify if your child is under 20 and stays in approved education or training, and it can carry on for 20 weeks if a 16 or 17 year old leaves and registers with a careers service or the armed services.
Can both parents claim Child Benefit?
Only one person can get Child Benefit for each child. Partners can claim for different children, but if you live together only one of you can claim the higher rate for the eldest child.
