Child Benefit allowances will increase from April, following the release of the new 2026 figures by the Department for Work and Pensions.

HMRC is responsible for distributing Child Benefit, and households with a single child will now get £27.05 weekly, compared with the previous rate of £26.05.

Parents will also receive £17.90 weekly (previously £17.25) for every subsequent child after the first. There is no cap on the number of children families can claim for.

The uplift corresponds to the Consumer Price Index for the 12 months ending September 2025, which stands at 3.8 percent. Consequently, from April 2026:

The benefit for the eldest child will climb from £26.05 to £27.05 per week

Support for extra children will rise from £17.25 to £17.90 per week

Guardian’s Allowance will go up from £22.10 to £22.95 per week

Child Benefit, typically transferred every four weeks, means households will get:

£108.20 for the eldest child

£71.60 for each additional child

£91.80 for Guardian’s Allowance

Those with existing claims do not need to get in touch with HMRC, as the higher payment will carry on being deposited straight into their bank accounts. Anyone needing to amend personal information, including switching bank accounts or moving house, can handle this through GOV.UK.

Carers may also lodge retrospective claims covering up to three months.

You qualify for Child Benefit if you are the person responsible for raising a child who is:

under 16

or under 20, if they are enrolled in approved education or training

If your income or your partner’s earnings exceed the Child Benefit threshold

Should either your or your partner’s income (after deductions) surpass the threshold, the High Income Child Benefit Charge may apply.

This income is calculated before any personal allowances and Gift Aid, but does encompass interest from savings and dividends.

Determine whether your adjusted net income exceeds the threshold using the Child Benefit tax calculator. Should it do so, the calculator will also indicate the amount of charge you owe.

Where both you and your partner have individual incomes exceeding the threshold, whichever of you has the greater adjusted net income must pay the charge.

Should either your or your partner’s individual income reach £80,000 or more above the threshold, the charge will match the amount you receive through Child Benefit. This means you will not gain any additional money from Child Benefit, though you can still obtain the other benefits attached to Child Benefit, such as National Insurance credits.

You will additionally need to submit a Self Assessment tax return each tax year to settle the charge.

Child Benefit and National Insurance Credits

National Insurance credits are awarded automatically if you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12.

These credits contribute towards your State Pension, ensuring you do not have gaps in your National Insurance record while bringing up a child if either:

you are not in employment

your earnings are insufficient to qualify for National Insurance contributions

Should you not require the National Insurance credits, your household may instead qualify for alternative support. Either:

your husband, wife or partner can request to transfer the credits

another family member who looks after your child can apply for Specified Adult Childcare credits

Only one individual can receive Child Benefit for each child.