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Child Benefit to rise from 12 April 2027: new rates explained
Child Benefit is set to rise to £28 and £18.55 a week from 12 April 2027. See the announced rates and what families could receive every four weeks.
At a glance
Child Benefit is set to increase to £28.00 a week for the eldest or only child and £18.55 for each additional child from 12 April 2027.
The Treasury announced the increase on 28 October 2026. The figures also appear in HMRC's Budget 2026 rates table. These are officially announced future rates, not payments available today. [1] [2]
For two eligible children, a full four weeks at the new rates would be £186.20, up from £179.80: an extra £6.40, before any tax charge or benefit-cap effect.
Key figures
- £28.00Eldest or only child. Announced future rate, not available todayFrom 12 April 2027, per week · Announced / subject to legislation · Source [1], [2]
- £18.55Each additional child. Announced future rate, not available todayFrom 12 April 2027, per week · Announced / subject to legislation · Source [1], [2]
- £186.20Full four-week amount. For 2 eligible children; before HICBC and benefit-cap effectsFull four weeks at one rate · PayCalc calculation · Source [2], [3]
- £6.40Extra every four weeks. For 2 eligible children; before HICBC and benefit-cap effectsFull four weeks at one rate · PayCalc calculation · Source [2], [3]
Current and announced weekly rates
| Who the payment is for | Current: 2026/27 | Announced from 12 April 2027 | Extra per week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | £27.05 | £28.00 | £0.95 |
| Each additional child | £17.90 | £18.55 | £0.65 |
Current rates are published in HMRC's Child Benefit guidance; future rates are in Budget 2026 Annex A. [2] [3]
The Treasury says the uprating follows September 2026 CPI inflation of 3.5% and applies across the United Kingdom. Use the published cash amounts when budgeting rather than multiplying your payment by 1.035: the official weekly rates are rounded. [1]
How much would families receive every four weeks?
Our calculations assume one eldest-child rate per household and the additional-child rate for each other eligible child.
| Eligible children | At current rates | At announced rates | Extra every four weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | £108.20 | £112.00 | £3.80 |
| 2 | £179.80 | £186.20 | £6.40 |
| 3 | £251.40 | £260.40 | £9.00 |
PayCalc UK illustrations for one to three eligible children. Full four weeks at the announced rates versus current rates, before HICBC and benefit-cap effects. Bars start at zero; these are not calendar-month increases.
The new weekly amount would be £28.00 + £18.55 = £46.55. Multiply by four to get £186.20.
These are full-rate illustrations before any High Income Child Benefit Charge. They assume all the children remain eligible throughout the period.
Four weeks is not a calendar month
Child Benefit is normally paid every four weeks, usually on a Monday or Tuesday. Weekly payment is available in certain circumstances, including for single parents and people receiving Universal Credit. [4]
A four-week payment covers 28 days. Calling £112.00 a “monthly payment” would therefore be misleading.
£112.00 covers four full weeks at the announced rate.
For budgeting comparisons, 52 weeks would total £1,456.00. Dividing that by 12 gives an average of £121.33 per calendar month. This is a budgeting average, not the usual bank payment.
What is the increase over 52 weeks?
| Eligible children | 52 weeks at announced rates | Increase versus 52 weeks at current rates |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £1,456.00 | £49.40 |
| 2 | £2,420.60 | £83.20 |
| 3 | £3,385.20 | £117.00 |
These are annualised comparisons using 52 weeks at a single rate. They are not a calculation of your exact 2027/28 tax-year entitlement or a forecast of the deposits you will receive within that tax year.
When does the increase start?
The Treasury's statement specifies 12 April 2027. Do not confuse that with 6 April, the start of the tax year. [1]
The rate-change date is also different from your personal payment date. The four-week figures represent a full four weeks at the new rates, not a promise about the first payment reaching your account in April.
As of 31 October 2026, the amounts and intended start date have been officially announced. This article does not treat the announcement as evidence that the separate 2027 uprating legislation has already been made.
Will every family keep the full increase?
Not necessarily. Under the current High Income Child Benefit Charge rules, a charge can apply if either partner's individual adjusted net income exceeds £60,000. The charge increases by 1% of Child Benefit for each £200 above that threshold, reaching the full amount at £80,000. This is an individual-income test, not a combined household-income threshold. Adjusted net income can differ from salary. [5]
Child Benefit also counts towards the benefit cap. If the cap affects your household, your Child Benefit can be paid in full while another benefit is reduced. The increase therefore does not automatically mean the same increase in total household income. [3]
The tables show benefit rates before these effects. The tax-charge explanation describes the rules in force when this article was checked.
Is this the same as the Universal Credit child element?
No. Child Benefit and the child element of Universal Credit are separate payments. The £28.00 and £18.55 figures are weekly Child Benefit rates; they should not be used as monthly UC child-element amounts.
What this means for you
- Budget using current payments until the new rates take effect.
- Keep four-week payments separate from calendar-month budgeting averages.
- Check whether HICBC or the benefit cap could affect what your household keeps.
Check the Child Benefit tax charge under current rules. Our calculator does not apply these announced 2027 rates.
Sources and method
Checked 31 October 2026. The Treasury statement specifies 12 April 2027 and UK-wide application; HMRC Annex A lists the announced weekly rates. This is not confirmation that separate 2027 uprating legislation has already been made.
Checked again 8 November 2026: Budget 2026 Annex A still lists £28.00 and £18.55 a week for 2027/28. The uprating order that will set these rates in law had not been laid; it is usually laid early in the year.
PayCalc UK calculations use the published cash rates, not an unrounded 3.5% increase. Weekly household amount = eldest-child rate + additional-child rate x (eligible children - 1). Four-week totals multiply by 4 and annualised comparisons by 52. Differences compare the same period under both sets of rates.
Full-rate illustrations assume all children remain eligible, one eldest-child rate per household, and no HICBC or benefit-cap effect. The 52-week figures are not exact 2027/28 tax-year entitlements. The calendar-month average is weekly rate x 52 / 12, rounded once to the nearest penny; it is not the normal payment frequency.
- UK Parliament, Treasury written statement: Social Security update ↗, Child Benefit uprating, UK-wide scope and 12 April 2027 start date. Published 28 October 2026. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- HMRC, Budget 2026 Annex A: rates and allowances ↗, Child Benefit weekly rates for 2026/27 and 2027/28. Published 28 October 2026. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Child Benefit: what you will get ↗, Current weekly rates, household rules and benefit cap. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, Child Benefit: when and how it is paid ↗, Four-week payments and weekly-payment eligibility. Accessed 31 October 2026.
- GOV.UK, High Income Child Benefit Charge ↗, Individual adjusted net income, thresholds and charge calculation. Accessed 31 October 2026.
This article is general information, not financial advice. Check your own position before you act.