--- title: "Child Benefit 2026: Rates, Eligibility & How to Claim | Nursery Advice" description: "Child Benefit 2026 weekly rates, who qualifies, how to claim and the High Income Child Benefit Charge explained — the full UK guide." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/search?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice", "url": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk", "description": "Search and compare UK nurseries. Ofsted ratings, fees, opening hours, parent reviews and inspection history — all in one place.", "logo": "https://www.nurseryadvice.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/18ee05cb-93ee-4d8a-b535-85644088f16f/nursery-advice-social-share.png", "sameAs": [ "https://twitter.com/nurseryadvice" ], "contactPoint": { "@type": "ContactPoint", "contactType": "customer support", "email": "hello@nurseryadvice.co.uk", "areaServed": "GB", "availableLanguage": [ "English" ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Child Benefit: 2026 rates, eligibility and how to claim", "description": "Child Benefit 2026 weekly rates, who qualifies, how to claim and the High Income Child Benefit Charge explained — the full UK guide.", "datePublished": "2026-05-31", "dateModified": "2026-05-31", "inLanguage": "en-GB", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice editorial team", "url": "/parent-hub/editorial-standards" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Nursery Advice" }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "/parent-hub/child-benefit-explained" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Parent Hub", "item": "/parent-hub" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Child Benefit: 2026 rates, eligibility and how to claim", "item": "/parent-hub/child-benefit-explained" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Child Benefit affect Universal Credit?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — Child Benefit is not means-tested for UC purposes. You can receive both." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can both parents claim?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. Only one person claims per child. The claimant is usually the main carer." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I still get Child Benefit if my child is at university?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No — it ends when they leave approved school/college education or turn 20." } } ] } ] --- [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/ "Nursery Advice") [Find Nurseries](/search)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)[Compare](/compare)[About Us](/about-us)[For Nurseries](/for-nurseries) [Claim Your Nursery](/claim) In this article 1. 1. [Who can claim](#eligibility) 2. 2. [The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC)](#high-income-charge) 3. 3. [How to claim](#how-to-claim) [Home](/)[Parent Hub](/parent-hub)Funding & money Funding & money # Child Benefit: 2026 rates, eligibility and how to claim Child Benefit is paid to anyone responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education). Here are the current rates, how to apply, and why even high earners should claim it. Reviewed by the Nursery Advice editorial team Last updated 31 May 2026 Next review 30 November 2026 [Editorial standards](/parent-hub/editorial-standards) Child Benefit is paid by HMRC to anyone responsible for bringing up a child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education or training). The current weekly rates (2025–2026) are **£26.05 for the eldest or only child** and **£17.25 for each additional child**[1](#source-1). From April 2026, rates rise in line with the Up-rating Order[2](#source-2) — check the gov.uk page for the current figure. ## Who can claim You can claim if you live in the UK and are responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education like A-levels). Only one person per household claims for a given child. ## The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) If either parent earns over **£60,000**, you pay back some Child Benefit through self-assessment. The charge is 1% for every £200 of income over £60,000, hitting 100% at £80,000. Claim it even if you’ll pay it back You can opt to **claim but not receive payments**. This still gives the non-working parent National Insurance credits towards their state pension — worth thousands over a lifetime. ## How to claim 1. Apply online via gov.uk/child-benefit, or in the HMRC app, as soon as your baby’s birth is registered. 2. You’ll need their birth certificate and your bank details. 3. Claims can be backdated up to 3 months — don’t delay if your baby’s a few weeks old. ## Frequently asked questions Does Child Benefit affect Universal Credit? No — Child Benefit is not means-tested for UC purposes. You can receive both. Can both parents claim? No. Only one person claims per child. The claimant is usually the main carer. Do I still get Child Benefit if my child is at university? No — it ends when they leave approved school/college education or turn 20. ## Ready to find a brilliant nursery? Search every Ofsted-registered setting in the UK — by postcode, age group, funded hours and more. [Find a nursery near you →](/search) ## About this guide & sources Every numerical claim in this guide is sourced from UK government, NHS or recognised charity publications. We re-check each source on the article’s review date. 1. GOV.UK — [Child Benefit — what you’ll get](https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-rates) (retrieved 2026-05-16) 2. legislation.gov.uk — [The Child Benefit and Guardian’s Allowance Up-rating Order 2026](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/232/made) (retrieved 2026-05-16) ## Keep reading [ Work & maternity ### UK maternity pay in 2026: what you’re entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance, shared parental leave and KIT days — your full UK rights, the current rates, and what to do if your employer isn’t paying correctly. Read guide ](/parent-hub/uk-maternity-pay-guide)[ Funding & money ### Tax-Free Childcare vs childcare vouchers — which saves more? Childcare vouchers closed to new applicants in 2018 but thousands of parents still hold accounts. Should you switch to Tax-Free Childcare? Here’s the maths. Read guide ](/parent-hub/tax-free-childcare-vs-vouchers)[ Funding & money ### 30 hours of funded childcare — the 2026 working parents’ guide From September 2025, working parents in England can access up to 30 hours of government-funded childcare a week from when their child is nine months old. Here’s exactly who qualifies, what counts, and how to apply. Read guide ](/parent-hub/30-hours-free-childcare) [![Nursery Advice](/__l5e/assets-v1/1c5557d3-f3fd-42f8-935a-3f2d2c3ac7e7/nursery-advice.webp "Nursery Advice")](/) The independent UK nursery directory. Built with Ofsted data, kept current weekly. 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