Is it worth claiming Child Benefit if I earn over £60,000?
Short answer
Yes — always register the claim, even if the High Income Child Benefit Charge claws some or all of it back. Between £60,000 and £80,000 you repay 1% per £200 of income above the threshold; only above £80,000 is it all repaid. Claiming protects your National Insurance record and your child's NI number.
Earning over £60,000 does not make Child Benefit pointless — and opting out of claiming altogether is usually a mistake.
How the High Income Child Benefit Charge works
Child Benefit itself is not means-tested: it pays £27.05 a week for your eldest or only child and £17.90 for each additional child (2026/27). But if you or your partner has adjusted net income over £60,000, the higher earner becomes liable for the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC):
- Between £60,000 and £80,000, you repay 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 of income above £60,000. At £70,000, for example, you keep half.
- Above £80,000, the charge equals the full Child Benefit amount.
The charge falls on the higher earner even if the other partner is the claimant, and it is collected through Self Assessment.
Why you should claim anyway
Registering the claim — even if you then opt out of receiving payments — brings benefits the charge never takes away:
- National Insurance credits for a child under 12, each counting as a qualifying year towards your State Pension. A stay-at-home parent who never claims can end up with damaging gaps in their NI record.
- Your child's NI number is issued automatically at 16 because the claim is on record.
If your income is between £60,000 and £80,000, taking the payments and repaying part through Self Assessment usually still leaves you better off. If you are above £80,000, the cleanest option is to claim but opt out of payments: you keep the NI credits and record-keeping benefits without the annual Self Assessment admin.
Note that "adjusted net income" is after pension contributions and Gift Aid, so pension saving can bring you back under the threshold. Neither Child Benefit nor the Universal Credit child element is now subject to a two-child limit (the limit on Universal Credit ended on 6 April 2026) — claim for every qualifying child, up to age 16 or up to 20 in approved education or training.
Related guides
Child Benefit Basics
Child Benefit is a regular tax-free payment for people who are responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 in approved education or training). It is not means-tested, so anyone responsible for a qualifying child can claim — though households where either partner earns over £60,000 may face a High Income Child Benefit Charge.
5 min
The Two-Child Limit: Abolished from April 2026
The two-child limit was abolished on 6 April 2026 by the Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Act 2026. Universal Credit now includes a child element for every child in the household, whenever they were born. DWP said families already claiming Universal Credit would see the update applied automatically with no action needed, and the exceptions to the limit are no longer needed. This guide explains what you get now, how the benefit cap still interacts with it, and what the rules were between 2017 and 2026 if you are checking an older decision.
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Universal Credit
Universal Credit is the main working-age benefit in the UK, replacing six older benefits including Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, and Housing Cost support. It supports people who are on a low income, out of work, or unable to work due to illness or disability. Understanding how it works can make a significant difference to your financial situation.
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