How much is Child Benefit in 2025/26?

Child Benefit is £26.05 per week (£1,354.60 per year) for your eldest or only child, and £17.25 per week (£897 per year) for each additional child. It is paid every four weeks, tax-free, directly into your bank account. There is no limit to the number of children you can claim for, although the two-child limit may apply to other benefits like Universal Credit.

What is the High Income Child Benefit Charge?

The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) is a tax charge that applies if either parent in the household has an adjusted net income above £60,000. You are taxed at a rate of 1% of your total Child Benefit for every £200 of income above £60,000. At an income of £80,000 or more, the charge equals the full amount of Child Benefit received, effectively cancelling it out. The charge is collected through Self Assessment.

Should I claim Child Benefit if I earn over £80,000?

Yes — you should still claim Child Benefit even if you or your partner earns over £80,000. You can opt out of receiving payments and you will not owe the HICBC. Crucially, claiming still gives the non-working or lower-earning parent National Insurance credits, which count towards their State Pension. Without claiming Child Benefit, a stay-at-home parent could build up gaps in their NI record.

How do I claim Child Benefit?

You claim Child Benefit using form CH2, which you can obtain from GOV.UK or request by phone from HMRC. You should claim within three months of your child's birth or moving to the UK — you can backdate a claim by up to three months, but not further. You will need your child's birth or adoption certificate and both your and your child's details.

Child Benefit Guide UK 2025/26 — Rates, Eligibility & the Tax Charge | PocketWise

Child Benefit is one of the most widely claimed benefits in the UK, yet many families miss out on it — or make costly mistakes around the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Here is everything you need to know.

What Is Child Benefit?

Child Benefit is a tax-free payment from HMRC to anyone responsible for raising a child who is:

Under 16, or
Under 20 and in approved full-time education or training (such as A-levels, T-levels, or Scottish Highers — but not university).

It is not means-tested — there is no income limit to claim. However, higher earners may have to pay some or all of it back through the High Income Child Benefit Charge (more on that below).

Current Rates (2025/26)

Child	Weekly Rate	Annual Amount
Eldest or only child	£26.05	£1,354.60
Each additional child	£17.25	£897.00

Child Benefit is paid every four weeks directly into your bank account. For a family with two children, that is £2,251.60 per year.

How to Claim

You claim Child Benefit using form CH2, available from GOV.UK. You can also claim by phone or post.

Claim within three months of your child’s birth. You can backdate Child Benefit by up to three months, but no further. If you delay beyond that window, you lose those payments permanently.

You will need:

Your child’s birth or adoption certificate (originals — HMRC will return them).
Your National Insurance number.
Your bank or building society details.

Beyond Money — National Insurance Credits

Even if you don’t need the money, claiming Child Benefit is important because it provides National Insurance (NI) credits to the parent who is not working or earning below the lower earnings limit.

These NI credits count towards your qualifying years for the State Pension. You need 35 qualifying years for the full State Pension (£221.20/week in 2025/26). A stay-at-home parent who does not claim Child Benefit could miss out on years of NI credits, leading to a significantly lower pension.

You automatically receive NI credits for any week you receive Child Benefit for a child under 12.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC)

If either parent in the household has an adjusted net income above £60,000, a tax charge claws back some or all of the Child Benefit.

How the HICBC Works

For income between £60,000 and £80,000: you are charged 1% of your total Child Benefit for every £200 of income above £60,000.
At £80,000 or above: the charge equals 100% of your Child Benefit — it is fully clawed back.

The charge is assessed on the higher-earning parent and collected through Self Assessment.

HICBC at Different Income Levels (Two Children)

Adjusted Net Income	HICBC Charge	Child Benefit Kept
£60,000 or below	£0	£2,251.60
£65,000	£563	£1,689
£70,000	£1,126	£1,126
£75,000	£1,689	£563
£80,000+	£2,251.60	£0

Important: The HICBC thresholds changed from April 2024. Before that, the charge started at £50,000 and reached 100% at £60,000.

Should You Still Claim?

Yes — always claim Child Benefit. If your income means you would lose it all to the HICBC, you can opt out of receiving payments. You will not owe any tax charge, but your claim stays active — which means the non-working parent still receives NI credits for their State Pension.

This is one of the most commonly missed personal finance tips in the UK.

The Two-Child Limit

Since 6 April 2017, Child Benefit itself is not affected by the two-child limit — you can claim Child Benefit for any number of children. However, other benefit entitlements such as the child element of Universal Credit are subject to the two-child limit for children born after that date, with some exceptions (for example, multiple births or children born as a result of non-consensual conception).

Guardian’s Allowance

If you are bringing up someone else’s child because one or both of their parents have died, you may be entitled to Guardian’s Allowance on top of Child Benefit:

£21.75 per week per eligible child.

You must already be receiving Child Benefit for the child to claim Guardian’s Allowance.

Useful Links

Tax-Free Childcare Guide — get up to £2,000 free per child towards childcare costs.
Income Tax Guide — understand how income tax works and how the HICBC fits in.
Universal Credit Guide — check whether you can also claim UC for extra support.