Child Benefit calculator
Child Benefit for 2026/27 pays £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each other child, and the High Income Child Benefit Charge starts once the higher earner's income passes £60,000, under gov.uk's Child Benefit rates and HICBC rules. This calculator shows the weekly, four-weekly and yearly amounts, then estimates the charge.
An income over £60,000 triggers the High Income Child Benefit Charge. The HICBC escape planner shows the pension contribution that can remove it.
How is Child Benefit worked out?
Child Benefit is a fixed amount for each child, not a means-tested payment, under the rates published on gov.uk.
The eldest or only child is worth £27.05 a week, and every other child adds £17.90 a week.
It is normally paid every four weeks, so the weekly figures above are multiplied by four for the payment that lands in an account, and by 52 for the yearly total.
The one income test is the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which is described on gov.uk's Child Benefit tax charge page.
Once the higher earner’s adjusted net income passes £60,000, the charge removes 1% of the Child Benefit for each £200 above that line, removing it entirely at £80,000.
It uses the higher of the two parents’ incomes, not the combined figure, which is why two earners each on £55,000 would keep the full amount while a single earner on £70,000 would lose part of it.
What would I get in a worked example?
Take two children and a higher earner on £45,000. The weekly Child Benefit is £27.05 plus £17.90, so £45 a week and an estimated £2,337 across the year.
Because £45,000 is below the £60,000 threshold, no charge applies, so the family would keep an estimated £2,337.
Push the higher income to £70,000 and part of it would be clawed back through the charge, which is why a pension contribution can pay for itself for some families.
Common questions
How much is Child Benefit in 2026/27?
Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each additional child. It is usually paid every 4 weeks. For two children that is £44.95 a week, which works out at about £2,337 a year before any High Income Child Benefit Charge.
What is the High Income Child Benefit Charge?
If either parent has an adjusted net income above £60,000 a tax charge claws some Child Benefit back. The charge is 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 of income over £60,000, so it removes all of it once income reaches £80,000. It is based on the higher earner, not the combined household income.
Should I still claim if I earn over £60,000?
Often yes. Claiming protects your National Insurance credits and secures a National Insurance number for the child, even if the charge cancels out the payment. You can claim and choose not to receive the payments to avoid the charge, while keeping the credits.
Is Child Benefit means-tested?
No. Child Benefit itself is not means-tested and does not depend on savings or most other income. The only income test is the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which is handled separately through the higher earner’s tax rather than by reducing the payment.
Can I avoid the charge by paying into a pension?
Sometimes. Pension contributions and Gift Aid reduce your adjusted net income, which is the figure the charge is based on. Bringing income back below £60,000 removes the charge entirely, so a contribution can be worth more than its headline cost. The HICBC planner works through this.
How is Child Benefit worked out?
Child Benefit pays a fixed £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 a week for each other child, usually paid every four weeks. The one income test is the High Income Child Benefit Charge, which removes 1% of the Child Benefit for each £200 the higher earner's adjusted net income sits above £60,000, and removes it fully at £80,000.
What would I get in a worked example?
For two children with a higher earner on £45,000, the weekly Child Benefit is £27.05 plus £17.90, so £45 a week and an estimated £2,337 across the year. Because £45,000 is below the £60,000 charge threshold, none of it is clawed back, leaving an estimated £2,337.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.