Useful next calculations
Rates and sources, 2026/27
Child Benefit rates for 2026/27, plus the High Income Child Benefit Charge at 1% for every whole £200 of adjusted net income above £60,000. The calculation is an estimate using entered adjusted net income.
| Band or figure | Rate |
|---|---|
| Eldest or only child | £27.05/week |
| Other children | £17.90/week |
| HICBC starts above | £60,000 adjusted net income |
| Full HICBC at | £80,000 adjusted net income |
Source: HMRC — Child Benefit rates and allowances. Source checked for 2026/27.
When to use this calculator
- When you need a fast estimate before making a bigger decision.
- When you want to compare a few scenarios using the same assumptions.
- When you need a clearer starting point before using a detailed quote or formal document.
- When you want to sanity-check a figure you have seen elsewhere.
A worked example
These are the example figures the calculator opens with.
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Number of Eligible Children | 1 |
| Highest Earner's Adjusted Net Income (£) | £55,000 |
For those figures the calculator returns:
- Weekly benefit: £27.05
- Annual benefit: £1,406.60
- HICBC charge: £0.00
- Net annual: £1,406.60
- Net monthly: £117.22
Method & assumptions
This calculator applies the 2026/27 Child Benefit rates: £27.05 a week for an eldest or only child and £17.90 for each additional child. It models the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) as 1% of Child Benefit for every whole £200 of adjusted net income above £60,000, capped at 100% at £80,000. The calculation uses 52 weeks; payment dates and amounts can differ slightly.
It cannot calculate adjusted net income for you. Pension contributions, Gift Aid and other taxable income can change the HICBC position, and eligibility rules for a child are separate from this calculation. Check your claim and tax position with HMRC before relying on the estimate.
Common mistakes
- Using optimistic assumptions without testing a more cautious scenario.
- Comparing outputs from different tools without checking that the inputs match.
- Treating the result as a final quote instead of a planning estimate.
- Rounding inputs too aggressively.
What to do next
- Try at least one more scenario so you can compare a realistic range.
- Use the related calculators below to cross-check the decision from another angle.
- Write down the key outputs from your best scenarios before you decide.
- If the result surprises you, change one input at a time to isolate the driver.