HMRC has announced that Child Benefit payments are set to increase again next year. Families eligible for Child Benefit currently receive weekly payments of £27.05 for their eldest or only child and £17.90 per other child.
This figure only covers the tax year between April 6 2026 and April 5 2027, so yesterday [November 10] the government updated their information page. It now says that the 2027-28 payment for the eldest or only child is planned to rise to £28, and the rate for other children is set to become £18.55.
Payment Increases for 2027-28
This will mean a £49.40 increase for the former figure and a £33.80 increase for the latter. The table does note the figure is 'provisional', but the website's update history shows the previous provisional figures reflected the final figures to the penny.
The website also details that the weekly Guardian's Allowance rate is set to rise from £22.95 in the 2026-27 tax year to £23.75 for the 2027-28 tax year. People may be eligible for Guardian's Allowance payments if they're bringing up a child whose parents have died or, in some circumstances, if there's one surviving parent.
Eligibility and Claiming Rules
Child Benefit is available for parents bringing up a child who is under 16 or who is under 20 and in 'approved education or training'. Only one person is eligible for child benefit, but there's now no limit to the number of children you can claim for.
Parents could claim for a maximum of two children from 2017, but this was abolished in April this year. However, parents may have to pay a High Income Child Benefit Charge if either of them earns more than the threshold.
Income Threshold and Payment Details
They will be above the threshold if one of them has an individual income of more than £60,000 for tax years starting from 2024-25 or £50,000 for tax years up to and including 2023-24. Payments are usually sent directly to claimants' bank accounts every four weeks, and claiming automatically comes with National Insurance Credits.
This means those who are not working or don't earn enough to pay national insurance contributions will still earn credits towards earning their State Pension. If a claimant's circumstances change, HMRC says they must contact them.
