Guides › Public Services › Child Benefit: Rates, Backdating and the High Income Charge
Child Benefit: Rates, Backdating and the High Income Charge
Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for your eldest or only child and £17.90 for each other child. Claims can be backdated up to 3 months, so claim promptly. If your income is over the threshold, the High Income Child Benefit Charge may apply, but it is still worth claiming because you get National Insurance credits while your child is under 12.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
What You Get
GOV.UK
Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 per additional child. If your adjusted net income is over the threshold you may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge; if you or your partner has an income £20,000 or more above the threshold, it can cancel out the payments. source
Claiming
GOV.UK
Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months. You can claim 48 hours after registering the birth, or once a child comes to live with you. source
Why Claim
You get National Insurance credits automatically if you claim Child Benefit and your child is under 12. If you choose not to get payments, you should still claim. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- 3 monthsBackdatingFrom the date you claim
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Claim as soon as you can after the birth.
Step 2 of 5
Use the online claim service.
Step 3 of 5
If income is high, use the GOV.UK tax calculator.
Step 4 of 5
If you opt out of payments, still make the claim.
Step 5 of 5
Tell HMRC about changes.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Child Benefit (GOV.UK)
Claim and manage it.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Claiming protects a non-working parent's State Pension record.
Want Help?
If you would like one of our team to look at your problem, our initial case review is free. We cannot guarantee any outcome and we do not give legal advice.
Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/child-benefit/what-youll-get Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/child-benefit Checked 13 October 2026