Child Benefit &
HICBC calculator
See exactly how much Child Benefit you keep — and how to use a pension contribution to claw it all back from the High Income Child Benefit Charge.
£60k–£80k taper
Updated for the 2024 reform — full charge no longer kicks in until £80,000.
Pension-sacrifice tips
Shows how much pension contribution would wipe out the HICBC charge.
Why to always register
Even if you don’t want the cash, registering protects state pension NI credits.
Child Benefit (HICBC) calculator
See your Child Benefit, the High Income Child Benefit Charge, and what you actually keep.
HICBC is based on the higher-earning partner’s income, not joint income. Pension contributions reduce it.
2026/27 weekly rates
Common questions
What's the High Income Child Benefit Charge?
HICBC claws back Child Benefit when one partner earns over £60,000. It tapers from 0% at £60,000 to 100% at £80,000. Below £60k you keep it all; above £80k it’s fully clawed back. The taper used to be £50k–£60k — it was widened in April 2024.
How much is Child Benefit in 2026/27?
£26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, plus £17.25 per week for each additional child. Annually that's £1,354 for one child, £2,250 for two, and £3,147 for three.
Should I still claim if I'll lose it all to HICBC?
Yes — but you can opt out of receiving payments. Registering the claim is what gets the non-working parent National Insurance credits towards their state pension. If you don’t register, you can lose years of NI credits without realising. Hundreds of thousands of stay-at-home parents have lost state pension this way.
Can pension contributions reduce HICBC?
Yes. HICBC is based on your adjusted net income — gross pay minus pension contributions (and Gift Aid). So salary-sacrificing into your pension reduces both your tax bill AND your HICBC. If you’re earning £70,000, sacrificing £10,000 drops you to £60,000 ANI and wipes out the charge entirely.
Does HICBC use joint or individual income?
Individual. It’s the higher-earning partner’s adjusted net income that matters — not joint income. Two parents earning £55,000 each (£110,000 between them) keep all the Child Benefit. One parent on £80,000 with the other staying home loses it all. The system is famously unfair on single-earner households.
HMRC chasing you for unpaid HICBC?
The HICBC has tripped up tens of thousands of parents. If HMRC is chasing back-charges or your bill looks wrong, we’ll help you write the letter that pushes back.
Start your free complaint