Child Benefit will rise from 12 April 2027. Parents will get an extra 95p per week for their eldest or only child.
What’s changing in 2027?
The new weekly rate is £28 for the eldest or only child, up from £27.05. Each additional child gets £18.55, up from £17.90.
The increase applies across the UK—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It was confirmed in the Treasury’s announcement on 28 October 2026.
How much extra will families get?
Most families get Child Benefit every four weeks, not monthly.
For a family with two children, that’s £6.40 every four weeks.
Why some families might not see the full benefit
Child Benefit counts toward the benefit cap. This rule limits total household benefits.
The government has confirmed the cap will stay frozen for 2027/28.
If your household is already under the cap, the higher Child Benefit could reduce your Universal Credit.
Check your Universal Credit breakdown on GOV.UK or in your online journal to see how this affects your total income.
Higher-income families face a separate rule
If either parent earns over £60,000 a year, a High Income Child Benefit Charge applies.
At £80,000, the full amount of Child Benefit is repaid.
Parents can still claim Child Benefit and choose not to receive any payment. This helps protect National Insurance credits for future State Pension.
Use HMRC’s online calculator to estimate how much you might need to repay.
What should families do?
If you already get Child Benefit, no action is needed.
Still, check if you’re affected by the benefit cap. That could mean your overall benefits go down.
If you don’t currently claim Child Benefit, don’t wait until April. Claims can only be backdated by three months.
Apply online through GOV.UK. Also, check if you’re entitled to unclaimed benefits using a free calculator.
Skint Dad says: ‘I’m not going to pretend that £6.40 extra every four weeks is going to transform things for a family with two children. It’s money you’d rather have than not have, but one quick top-up shop could swallow it. What concerns me more is that some families might not see their overall benefits go up at all because of the benefit cap. I think parents deserve to know exactly how much extra they’re getting, rather than just hearing that payments are rising. My advice is to check what the increase actually means for your household before counting on that extra money in your budget.’
For a full breakdown of how the Autumn Budget 2026 affects household spending, including changes to wages and bills, see skintdad.co.uk.
Sources & further reading
Featured image: A mother and her daughter shopping in a supermarket. Via original publisher. Image source
