The High Income Child Benefit Charge
If you or your partner has adjusted net income over £60,000, you pay back 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 over. At £80,000 the charge equals the full benefit. Below £60,000 you keep it all.
Even if the charge would cancel it out, it's still worth registering. Claiming protects your National Insurance credits for your State Pension if you're not working while your child is under 12, and makes sure your child gets a National Insurance number automatically at 16.
Who can claim
- You're responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.
- Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.
- You usually need to live in the UK.
How to claim
- Claim online or through the HMRC app — it's free.
- Claim as soon as possible after a birth or a child moving in: payments can only be backdated up to 3 months.
- If you stopped claiming because of the tax charge, you can restart online.
Questions parents ask
I stopped claiming years ago — can I start again?
Yes. If your income is now under £80,000 you could be better off restarting. Payments restart from the date you ask, backdated up to 3 months.
Whose income counts for the tax charge?
The income of whichever partner has the higher adjusted net income. It isn't based on combined household income.
Does Child Benefit affect Tax-Free Childcare?
No. You can get Child Benefit alongside Tax-Free Childcare and funded childcare hours.
You can apply for Child Benefit yourself, for free.
Everything on this page can be done directly with the government at no cost: Child Benefit on GOV.UK. We're an independent service and not affiliated with HMRC or the Department for Education.