What is Child Benefit?
Child Benefit is a sum of money paid to individuals responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if in approved education or training). The money is designed to help towards the cost of raising children and is intended to be used towards things that the child may need such as food, clothing and general household costs. Child Benefit is only paid to one recipient and is usually paid every 4 weeks. There is no limit to how many children you can claim for.
You are classed as responsible for a child if you:
- live with the child
- pay at least the same amount as Child Benefit towards looking after the child e.g on food or clothes
How much Child Benefit do you get?
The following table highlights how much Child Benefit you can expect to receive in the 2024/25 tax year. The benefit is typically paid every 4 weeks on either a Monday or Tuesday. In certain circumstances, the benefit can be paid weekly, for example, if you are a single parent or if you receive additional benefits. There are also instances where eligibility rules change if your child goes into hospital for a period of time or lives with someone else.
Child Benefit payment rates 2024/25
| First Child | Additional children | |
| Weekly Rate | £25.60 | £16.95 per child |
| Four Weekly Rate | £102.40 | £67.80 per child |
These rates are effective from April 2024 until March 2025
Child Benefit payment rates 2025/26
| First Child | Additional children | |
| Weekly Rate | £26.05 | £17.25 per child |
| Four Weekly Rate | £104.20 | £69.00 per child |
These rates are effective from April 2025 until March 2026
Child Benefit payment based on having 1-5 Children
| Number of children | Child Benefit 2024/25 payment (every 4 weeks) | Child Benefit 2025/26 payment (every 4 weeks) |
| 1 | £102.40 | £104.20 |
| 2 | £170.20 | £173.20 |
| 3 | £238.00 | £242.20 |
| 4 | £305.80 | £311.20 |
| 5 | £373.60 | £380.20 |
Bear in mind, if you receive additional benefits then child benefit payments count towards the benefit cap, meaning other benefits may be reduced. You can check if you will be affected by the benefit cap here.
Who can claim Child Benefit?
Anyone responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if in approved education or training, can claim for Child Benefit but how much Child Benefit you will receive depends on your income.
If one member of the household’s adjusted net income is £60,000 or more then you may be required to pay a High Income Child Benefit Charge, which means you may pay tax on your Child Benefit payment. It means that for every £200 of adjusted net income over the £60,000 threshold you lose 1% of your child benefit entitlement. Your 'adjusted net income' is your total taxable income before any allowances and does not include things like Gift Aid. It is worth noting that your total taxable income includes all income sources, so would include interest from savings and investment (over and above the personal savings allowance).
If an individual earns more than £80,000 a year, the High Income Child Benefit Charge is equal to the amount you would receive in Child Benefit and so you need to consider whether it is worth claiming for the benefit payment in the first place. Despite not getting the Child Benefit if you earn over £80,000, it may still be worth claiming if one parent/carer is not working. This is because the accumulated National Insurance credits can benefit the carer who is not working.
If you are unsure how much Child Benefit you will be entitled to or need to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge, visit the government's Child Benefit calculator.
How to apply for Child Benefit
If you want to apply for Child Benefit you can do so 48 hours after you have registered the birth of your child or after a child comes to live with you. Only one person is eligible to claim for Child Benefit so you will need to discuss who is going to be the claimant. It is worth considering that if the individual who claims Child Benefit is not working, they can get National Insurance credits towards their State Pension.
Child Benefit claims can only be backdated up to 3 months, so it is best to submit a claim as soon as possible
How to claim Child Benefit
Your Child Benefit claim can be submitted online and you will need to provide the following documentation:
- The child’s birth or adoption certificate
- Your National Insurance number
- Your partner’s National Insurance number (if applicable)
- Your bank or Building Society information
If your child was born outside of the UK you will need to provide their original birth or adoption certificate and your child’s passport or travel documentation used to enter the UK.
