Child Benefit tax charge calculator 2026/27

Earning over £60,000? See how much Child Benefit you'd have to pay back, what you keep, and whether it's still worth claiming.

Work out your charge

The short answer

If the higher earner's income is over £60,000, they pay back 1% of the Child Benefit for every £200 above that.
At £80,000 or more, all of it is paid back.
It's still worth claiming in most cases, because it protects the State Pension record of a parent who isn't working.

Uses 2026/27 Child Benefit rates of £27.05 a week for the eldest child and £17.90 for each other child, for a full tax year. It's based on the higher earner's adjusted net income. Not tax advice.

How the charge is worked out

Take the higher earner's adjusted net income: total taxable income, minus things like pension contributions and Gift Aid.
For every full £200 over £60,000, the charge goes up by 1% of the Child Benefit paid that year.
At £80,000, the charge is 100%, so it cancels out the Child Benefit.

How to pay it

The higher earner pays the charge. You can pay through Self Assessment, or if you're employed and don't otherwise need to file a tax return, you can ask HMRC to collect it through your tax code instead.

Frequently asked questions

Can I reduce the charge?

Yes. Paying more into a pension, or giving to charity with Gift Aid, lowers your adjusted net income. Some people use salary sacrifice to bring it under £60,000.

Should I stop claiming Child Benefit?

You can choose to stop the payments, but it's usually worth still filling in the claim form. It gets the child a National Insurance number and gives a non-working parent National Insurance credits towards their State Pension.

Is it based on household income?

No, it's based on the income of the higher earner only. A couple each earning £55,000 pays no charge.

Does rental or self-employed income count?

Yes. All taxable income counts, including rental profit, self-employed profit, savings interest and dividends. See how rental income is taxed.

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