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Child Benefit
A weekly payment for anyone bringing up a child, paid across the UK by HMRC. It isn't means-tested, though higher earners pay some or all of it back through tax.
Who can get it
You can claim if you're responsible for a child who is under 16, or under 20 and in approved education or training (like A levels, Scottish Highers or a level 3 course, but not university). Only one person can get it for each child.
See what you could get
Answer a few plain questions and get a list of the benefits and help you're likely to get, with amounts and links to apply.
Check what I can getHow much in 2026-27
| Child | Per week |
|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | £27.05 |
| Each additional child | £17.90 |
Two children is £44.95 a week, about £2,337 a year. Three children is £62.85 a week, about £3,268 a year. It's paid every 4 weeks, or weekly for single parents and some people on other benefits.
The High Income Child Benefit Charge
If either parent's adjusted net income is over £60,000, they pay back 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 over. At £80,000 or more, they pay it all back. It's the higher earner of a couple who pays.
Even then, it's usually worth claiming and choosing not to be paid. Claiming:
- gives a non-working or low-earning parent National Insurance credits for their State Pension (for a child under 12);
- makes sure your child gets a National Insurance number at 16 without fuss.
How to claim
Claim online on GOV.UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). You can claim as soon as the birth is registered, or when a child comes to live with you. It can be backdated up to 3 months.
In Scotland, families on Universal Credit or Pension Credit can also get Scottish Child Payment of £28.20 a week per child.
Sources
Every figure on this page is copied from these official pages, for April 2026 to March 2027 (checked 3 November 2026):
This is a guide, not advice. The office that runs each benefit decides who gets it. Rules can change.