Overview
You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:
- under 16
- under 20 if they stay in approved education or training
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.
By claiming Child Benefit, you can get:
- an allowance paid to you for each child – you’ll usually get it every 4 weeks
- National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension
- a National Insurance number for your child without them having to apply for one – they’ll usually get the number shortly before they turn 16 years old
If you choose not to get Child Benefit payments, you should still make a claim to get the other advantages.
There are 2 Child Benefit rates.
| Who the allowance is for | Rate (weekly) |
|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | £27.05 |
| Additional children | £17.90 per child |
You must contact the Child Benefit Office if you’re paid too much or too little.
Any Child Benefit payments you get will count towards the benefit cap. If you’re affected by the cap, you’ll still get the full amount for your Child Benefit payments but your other benefits may be reduced.
If your circumstances change
You must notify the Child Benefit Office immediately if your child leaves approved education or training, as this affects your entitlement. Report the change online via GOV.UK (Form CH459), by phone, or by post to avoid overpayments.
You must report any change of circumstances to the Child Benefit Office.
Child Benefit when your child turns 16
Your Child Benefit automatically stops on 31 August on or after your child’s 16th birthday if:
- they leave education or training
- you do not tell HMRC that they’re staying in education or training
- they’re staying in a type of education or training where you cannot get Child Benefit
If families split up
If a family splits up, you get £27.05 a week for the eldest child.
If you have 2 children and one lives with you and the other lives with
someone else (for example, your ex-partner), you’ll each get £27.05 a week.
If you both claim for the same child, only one of you will get Child Benefit for them.
If you’re entitled to Child Benefit for any other children, you’ll get £17.90 for each child.
If families join together
If you move in with a partner who also claims Child Benefit, you get £27.05 for the eldest child in the household. You get £17.90 for any younger children.
You and your partner can claim for different children. If you live together, you cannot both claim at the higher rate – you may have to pay back some of the money if you do.
You must report the change to your family circumstances.
Transfer your claim
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child. Contact the Child Benefit Office if you want someone else to claim Child Benefit.
- Explain you want to stop getting Child Benefit.
- Explain who you want to get Child Benefit instead.
- Tell the other person to make a new claim.
- If you change your mind later, you’ll need to make a new claim yourself.
If you or your partner earn over the threshold
If either you or your partner’s ‘adjusted net income’ is over the threshold, you may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
Your adjusted net income is your total taxable income before any personal allowances and less things like Gift Aid. Your total taxable income includes interest from savings and dividends.
If you have to pay the charge, you can still get the other advantages of Child Benefit like National Insurance credits. The charge will not be more than the amount you get from Child Benefit payments.
Work out if your adjusted net income is over the threshold using the Child Benefit tax calculator. If it is, the calculator will also tell you how much charge you’ll have to pay.
If both you and your partner have an individual income that’s over the threshold, then whoever has the higher adjusted net income is responsible for paying the charge.
If either you or your partner has an individual income of £20,000 or more above the threshold (£10,000 or more before April 2024), you’ll be charged the same amount as you make through Child Benefit payments. You’ll end up with no extra money from Child Benefit.
You can make a claim and opt out of getting payments if you do not want to pay the charge. You can still get the other advantages provided by Child Benefit, like National Insurance credits.
You can claim Child Benefit 48 hours after you’ve registered the birth of your child, or once a child comes to live with you.
Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you make the claim.
If you’re making a new claim for a child over 16, check they’re eligible.
Deciding who should claim
Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child, so you need to decide whether it’s better for you or the other parent to claim.
Whoever claims will get National Insurance credits towards their state pension. The credits can fill gaps in your record if you’re not working or do not earn enough to pay National Insurance contributions.
You and your partner can claim for different children. If you live together, only one of you can claim at the higher rate, for the eldest child in the household. If you both claim at the higher rate, you may have to pay back some of the money.
How to Claim
You can start you claim online
If you cannot apply online, you can:
Last Updated on April 23, 2026 by Ashford Advice