UK Child Benefit pays £25.60/week for your eldest child and £16.95/week for each additional child (2024/25 rates). Apply online through your HMRC account or by post using Form CH2.
- Government Gateway account
- Child’s birth certificate or adoption papers
- Your NI number and bank account details
Start your claim online at gov.uk/child-benefit
Log into your HMRC account. Click “Add a service” → “Child Benefit.” Start a new claim. You can apply for a child up to 3 months before they are born (for newborns) or for children already living with you.
Complete the online claim form
Enter child’s details (full name, date of birth, birth certificate reference), whether the child was born in the UK or abroad, and your relationship to the child. If claiming for a child born outside the UK, you may need to send original birth documents.
Be aware of the High Income Child Benefit Charge
If either you or your partner has income over £60,000/year (2024/25 threshold), you must pay a tax charge (High Income Child Benefit Charge) through Self Assessment. The charge equals 1% of the benefit for every £200 of income over £60,000. Above £80,000, the charge equals 100% of the benefit.
Register your child for an NI number
Claiming Child Benefit automatically registers your child for a National Insurance number, which they receive at age 16. This is important for their future employment and benefit entitlements.
Notify HMRC of changes
Report changes to HMRC immediately: child leaves education/training, child goes to live elsewhere, your income exceeds the threshold, or your child gets married. Failure to report changes may result in overpayment recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — Child Benefit is not means-tested in the traditional sense. Any eligible parent or guardian can claim regardless of employment status. The benefit is paid regardless of whether you work, as long as you are responsible for the child and living in the UK.
Yes, if you are habitually resident in the UK and have the right to reside. EU/EEA nationals need settled or pre-settled status. Non-EEA nationals need a visa granting recourse to public funds. Newly arrived migrants may face a 3-month waiting period.