Child Benefit Calculator UK 2026/27 — Entitlement & High Income Charge
Child Benefit is paid to those responsible for children under 16 (or under 20 in approved education/training). The 2026/27 rate is £26.05/week for the eldest child and £17.25/week for each additional child. If either parent earns over £60,000, the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) may claw back some or all of the benefit.
2026/27 rates: £26.05/week (eldest), £17.25/week (each additional child). HICBC applies at 1% per £200 of income above £60,000. Fully withdrawn at £80,000.
Child Benefit Rates 2026/27
| Child | Weekly rate | Annual (52 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Eldest / only child | £26.05 | £1,354.60 |
| Each additional child | £17.25 | £897.00 |
The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC)
If you or your partner has an adjusted net income over £60,000, HMRC claws back Child Benefit through a tax charge. From April 2024, the threshold was raised from £50,000 to £60,000. The charge is calculated at 1% of your Child Benefit for every £200 of income above £60,000. At £80,000 or above, the charge equals 100% of the Child Benefit — meaning you effectively receive nothing.
You can choose to: (1) keep claiming and pay the charge through Self Assessment, or (2) opt out of Child Benefit entirely. Even if you opt out, it is worth registering for Child Benefit to protect your State Pension National Insurance credits, especially if you are not working.
Protecting Your State Pension
Child Benefit claimants get National Insurance credits for each week they receive benefit — protecting their State Pension record. If you opt out due to the HICBC, you can still claim Child Benefit at a nil rate to preserve these NI credits without receiving any money.
How to Claim Child Benefit
You can claim Child Benefit as soon as you've registered your child's birth, and it can be backdated up to three months from the date of your claim — so it's worth applying promptly rather than waiting. Only one person can claim per child, and it's usually the main carer, since the person named on the claim is who receives the National Insurance credits attached to it. Claims can be made online through the HMRC app or the gov.uk website, and you'll need your child's birth certificate details along with your own National Insurance number. Payments are typically made every four weeks, though single parents and those receiving certain other benefits can request weekly payments instead.
When Does Child Benefit Stop?
Child Benefit continues automatically until the August after your child turns 16. If your child stays in full-time non-advanced education (such as A-Levels, T-Levels, or equivalent) or an approved training course, you can extend the claim up to their 20th birthday — but this doesn't happen automatically, you need to confirm to HMRC that your child is continuing in education each time you're asked, usually via a letter or online update around their 16th birthday. If your child leaves education or training, or turns 20, the benefit stops from the following pay period. Universities and most apprenticeships (aside from a small number of approved training schemes) don't count as qualifying education for these purposes.