UK Child Benefit & HICBC Calculator
Calculate your Child Benefit entitlement and the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) for 2026/27. Find your net benefit after any tax clawback.
Child Benefit Guide 2026/27
Child Benefit Rates 2026/27
Child Benefit is paid weekly for each eligible child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education or training). 2026/27 rates: first child: £25.60 per week (£1,331.20 per year). Additional children: £16.95 per week each (£881.40 per year). Example: 2 children for 52 weeks: £25.60 + £16.95 = £42.55/week = £2,212.60/year. Child Benefit is claimed by the person primarily responsible for the child — usually the mother but either parent can claim. Payment arrives every 4 weeks (or weekly for some sing
High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC)
The HICBC claws back Child Benefit when the highest earner in the household has adjusted net income above £60,000 (from April 2024 — threshold raised from £50,000). Rate: 1% of Child Benefit for every £200 of income above £60,000. Full clawback at £80,000 (£20,000 above threshold ÷ £200 = 100%). Example: income £70,000 (£10,000 above threshold). Clawback percentage: 10,000/200 = 50%. HICBC = 50% of £2,212.60 = £1,106.30. Net benefit = £2,212.60 - £1,106.30 = £1,106.30. The HICBC is paid via self
The April 2024 Threshold Change
In April 2024, the HICBC threshold was raised from £50,000 to £60,000, and the taper rate changed so full clawback occurs at £80,000 instead of £60,000. This restored partial Child Benefit to around 170,000 families who had previously been subject to full clawback. Affected families who opted out of Child Benefit payments (to avoid HICBC admin) should consider reclaiming if income is between £60,000-£80,000. Important: 'adjusted net income' is income after pension contributions, Gift Aid, and ce
Should You Claim Child Benefit?
Even if subject to full HICBC (income above £80,000), you should still claim Child Benefit because: claiming builds National Insurance credits for the parent not working (protects State Pension entitlement). Claiming and paying back via HICBC preserves the NI credit — not claiming means losing those credits permanently. Your child automatically gets an NI number at age 16 when Child Benefit is in payment. The administrative burden of self-assessment is the main downside. If one partner earns jus
Recommended for this calculator