United Kingdom Child Benefit: weekly rates
Child Benefit has a higher weekly rate for the eldest or only child and a separate rate for each additional child. Household changes and the tax charge have separate rules.
- Eldest or only child
- £27.05 per week in 2026–27.
- Additional children
- £17.90 per child per week in 2026–27.
Rates from April 2026
HMRC’s current table states weekly rates of £27.05 for the eldest or only child and £17.90 for each other child for the tax year from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. HMRC, Child Benefit rates (opens in a new tab).
Household changes and the charge
Only one claimant can receive Child Benefit for the same child. HMRC, Child Benefit payments (opens in a new tab).
Where partners who each claim move in together, the higher rate applies to the eldest child in the household; both cannot claim the higher rate while living together. HMRC, Child Benefit payments (opens in a new tab).
An individual’s adjusted net income above the threshold can give rise to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. HMRC, Child Benefit payments (opens in a new tab).
Opting out of payments can preserve other advantages of a claim, including National Insurance credits. HMRC, Child Benefit payments (opens in a new tab).
Where a family separates and each parent has a different child living with them, GOV.UK states that each can receive the eldest-child rate. HMRC, Child Benefit payments (opens in a new tab).
Scope
This is general information adapted from HMRC material under the Open Government Licence v3.0, without endorsement. It does not determine eligibility or an individual award. No matching calculator or worked example is available here.