Make sure your family is getting all the support it's due, from Child Benefit to childcare.
Most families who lose money don't lose it because the rates are low. They lose it because a form wasn't sent, a box wasn't ticked, a reconfirmation was missed or a deadline slipped by.
This pack is about those decisions, with every 2026/27 figure alongside, for parents and carers in all four UK nations.
Claiming is free. You don't need to pay anyone to claim Child Benefit or apply for childcare help. Free help is available from Citizens Advice, Gingerbread (for single parents) and Turn2us, and you can claim yourself on GOV.UK. This pack is optional: everything in one place, in plain English.
- Checked 16 October 2026
- 2026/27 figures
- All four UK nations
- Fill-in worksheets
- Worked examples
Checked against official GOV.UK, HMRC and DWP sources on 16 October 2026.
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Where families most often lose money
- Not claiming Child Benefit because “we earn too much”The parent who claims for a child under 12 gets National Insurance credits that protect their State Pension, even if they opt out of the payments.
- Getting the Child Benefit charge wrongBetween £60,000 and £80,000 of adjusted net income you always keep some of the money by claiming and paying the charge, and HMRC expects the higher earner to tell it.
- Going £1 over £100,000Tax-Free Childcare, and the working-parent funded hours in England, stop if either parent's adjusted net income is expected to be over £100,000.
- Assuming Universal Credit isn't for youUC can pay up to 85% of childcare costs, against 20% from Tax-Free Childcare, and you can't have both at once, so the choice matters. A free benefits check before you switch is worth having.
- Letting things lapseTax-Free Childcare and funded hours must be reconfirmed every 3 months, Child Benefit stops on the 31 August after a child turns 16 unless you tell HMRC they're staying in education, and backdating reaches back only 3 months.
Sources: gov.uk/child-benefit, gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-charge, gov.uk/tax-free-childcare, gov.uk/universal-credit, gov.uk/national-insurance-credits.
2026/27 figures. Source: HMRC rates for 2026/27; gov.uk/child-benefit; gov.uk/tax-free-childcare; DWP Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027.
Worked examples at 2026/27 rates
The pack works through the sums that decide real family choices. Four of them, for fictional families:
What Child Benefit is worth in a year
| 1 child | £1,406.60 |
| 2 children | £2,337.40 |
| 3 children | £3,268.20 |
£27.05 a week for the eldest, £17.90 for each other child, over 52 weeks
Claiming late costs money
| Baby born 1 June 2026, claim made 1 November | |
| Backdating reaches back 3 months, to 1 August | |
| 9 weeks lost × £27.05 | £243.45 |
£243.45 lost for an eldest child
Don't opt out too early
| Adjusted net income £68,500, two children | |
| Charge: 42% of £2,337, rounded down | £981 |
| Child Benefit kept after paying the charge | £1,356.40 |
Claiming and paying the charge keeps £1,356.40 a year
Tax-Free Childcare on an £800 bill
| You pay | £640 |
| The government adds | £160 |
£2 for every £8 you pay, up to £500 per child for each 3-month period
Fictional examples for illustration only. Your entitlement depends on your circumstances, and the official decision comes from HMRC, DWP, your council or the devolved body.
See real pages from the pack
Printable A4 pages, written in plain English. Tap any page to read it full size.
What's inside, and what each part helps you do
- The 2026/27 numbers and key datesEvery figure and deadline in one place: rates, thresholds and the dates that matter this year.
- Child Benefit, step by stepClaiming, backdating, and what happens when a child turns 16.
- National Insurance creditsWhy the right parent should claim even if you opt out of payments, and how partners, grandparents and missed years can fill gaps.
- The High Income Child Benefit ChargeHow it works, worked examples, the keep-or-opt-out decision, cutting it with pension contributions, salary sacrifice or Gift Aid, and paying it.
- Childcare helpTax-Free Childcare, funded hours across the four nations, and UC childcare, with a worked comparison of which to choose.
- Universal Credit for familiesChild elements now the two-child limit has gone, work rules by your youngest child's age, and the benefit cap.
- Free school meals, Healthy Start and grantsWho qualifies in each nation, and the grants and payments for new babies and school costs.
- Maternity, paternity and adoption payStatutory pay and Maternity Allowance, leave rights, and how parental pay affects Universal Credit.
- Single parents and separatingA money checklist for separating, and how child maintenance works.
- Guardian's Allowance and kinship carersExtra help if you're bringing up someone else's child.
- Fill-in worksheetsA family entitlement checklist, a Child Benefit charge calculator, a childcare comparison, and a key dates and documents tracker.
- Common mistakes, free help and sourcesHow to fix the usual mistakes, where free advice is, and the official pages behind every figure.
Sort your family's money in four steps
- ReadStart with the short list of the mistakes that cost families most.
- CheckGo down the entitlement checklist: tick what you already get and circle what you might be missing.
- Work it outRun your numbers on the worksheets: the Child Benefit charge, and Tax-Free Childcare against UC childcare.
- DiarisePut your key dates in the calendar: reconfirming childcare every 3 months, the 31 August after a child turns 16, and the deadlines for paying the charge.
Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months, so a late claim can't always be fixed later.
Made for parents and carers who want the whole picture in one place
- Parents and carers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Couples and single parents, working or not
- Families on Universal Credit, and higher earners affected by the Child Benefit charge
- Grandparents and other relatives bringing up a child
- Anyone who needs personal tax, legal or welfare-rights advice: the pack is general information.
- Checking one quick figure: our free calculators are quicker for that.
What it is not
- No promised amounts: HMRC, DWP and your council decide.
- Not an official HMRC or DWP product.
- Not financial, tax or legal advice.
- It doesn't make claims for you.
The decisions that matter, and every 2026/27 figure you need.
Child Benefit & Family Money Pack 2026/27 · £4.99 one-off
- Instant download
- No subscription
- Updated for 2026/27
- 14-day refund
One-off payment · Instant download · No subscription
Not useful? Contact us within 14 days for a refund.
Claiming is free. You don't need to pay anyone to claim Child Benefit or apply for childcare help. Free help is available from Citizens Advice, Gingerbread (for single parents) and Turn2us, and you can claim yourself on GOV.UK. This pack is optional: everything in one place, in plain English.
Questions
Do I have to pay to claim Child Benefit or childcare help?
No. Claiming Child Benefit and applying for Tax-Free Childcare or funded hours is free on GOV.UK (or your nation's own service), and free help is available from Citizens Advice, Gingerbread and Turn2us. This pack is optional: it puts the rules, worksheets and deadlines in one place.
Who is it for?
Parents and carers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland: couples and single parents, families on Universal Credit, higher earners affected by the Child Benefit charge, and relatives bringing up a child.
Who is it not for?
Anyone who needs personal tax, legal or welfare-rights advice. Where the rules differ between the four nations the pack says so, but the official decision always comes from HMRC, DWP, your council or the devolved body.
Will it tell me what I'm entitled to?
It explains the rules with worked examples and gives you a checklist and worksheets to see what's worth claiming. It doesn't make claims for you or promise any amount.
Is this advice, or an official product?
Neither. It's general information from UK Benefits Calculator, which is independent and not part of GOV.UK, HMRC or DWP.
What format is it, and how do I get it?
A printable A4 PDF, downloaded straight after payment. Your download link works for 30 days, for up to 25 downloads.
What if it isn't useful?
Contact us within 14 days of purchase and we'll refund you in full.
Written and reviewed by the UK Benefits Calculator editorial team. Checked against official GOV.UK, HMRC and DWP sources, the devolved governments and legislation.gov.uk on 16 October 2026.
UK Benefits Calculator is independent. It is not part of GOV.UK, HMRC or the Department for Work and Pensions and is not endorsed by DWP, Age UK, Citizens Advice or any organisation cited. Guidance is general information: check it against official sources, and get free specialist advice where your situation is complex. Payments are processed securely by Stripe.