Child Benefit is a welfare payment to help parents and families with the cost of raising children. It can be difficult to find out whether you’re eligible, how much you can claim, and what to do if things don’t go to plan.
Can I Claim Child Benefit?
There are two Child Benefit rates; 1) Eldest or only child, 2) additional children. Child Benefit is paid every 4 weeks on a Monday or Tuesday. A family with two children can claim nearly £1,800 a year in Child Benefit. You can claim Child Benefit for each child you’re responsible for, you don’t have to be their parent. (Child Benefit was previously called Family Allowance).
Child Benefit is a welfare payment provided by the UK government to help support families with children. It is a tax-free payment that is made to the main carer of a child under the age of 16, or under 20 if the child is still in education or training.
Child Benefit is intended to help families with the cost of raising children, including expenses such as clothing, food, and education. It is available to all eligible families, regardless of income or employment status.
To be eligible for Child Benefit, the child must be under 16 years old (or under 20 and in approved education or training), and the parent or guardian must live in the UK. The amount of Child Benefit paid depends on the number of children in the family and whether the child is the first or subsequent child. Currently, the standard weekly rate is £21.15 for the first child and £14.00 for each subsequent child.
Child Benefit is not means-tested, and there is no requirement for the recipient to have paid National Insurance contributions. However, higher earners may be subject to an additional tax charge on their Child Benefit payments, known as the High-Income Child Benefit Tax Charge.
How much is Child Benefit?
The rates for Child Benefit in the 2017-18 tax year are:
Benefit normally paid on a weekly basis for the eldest first at £20.70 per week plus £13.70 for each additional child.
That’s £1,076.40 for your eldest/only child and £712.40 for additional children.
If you’re paid too much or too little, you should contact the Child Benefit Office.
How can claim Child Benefit
Anyone responsible for children can claim Child Benefit. High-income earners (over £50,000) are also eligible to claim Child Benefit but it’s taxable. If you’re a high-income earner, use the Child Benefit tax calculator to find out how much tax you’ll have to pay.
