Family and childcare support hub
UK family support comes through several separate schemes that do not always talk to each other. This hub brings together the most useful calculators and guides so families can check Child Benefit, childcare top-ups, school meal eligibility and maternity support in a single session.
Best place to start
Use the main estimator first, then move into the worked examples and explainers that match the change you are trying to understand.
Key facts for 2026/27
- › Child Benefit: £27.05/week (first child), £17.90 (additional children), 2026/27 rates
- › HICBC taper: 1% per £200 over £60,000 adjusted net income, 100% at £80,000
- › Tax-Free Childcare: £2 top-up per £8 spent, max £2,000/child/year
- › UC childcare support: up to 85% of registered childcare costs, capped monthly
- › Free School Meals (England): every Universal Credit household from the 2026/27 school year; the £7,400 earnings figure now only decides pupil premium
- › SMP: 90% of weekly pay for 6 weeks, then £194.32/week for up to 33 more weeks
Tools for this topic
Free Child Benefit calculator 2026/27 UK
Free Child Benefit calculator for 2026/27. See weekly, monthly and annual amounts for 1, 2 or more children using the latest UK rates.
HICBC calculator 2026/27 UK
Calculate the High Income Child Benefit Charge for 2026/27. Check the £60,000 to £80,000 threshold band and how much Child Benefit you keep.
Tax-Free Childcare calculator
Estimate how much government top-up you could get through Tax-Free Childcare based on annual childcare spending.
Tax-Free Childcare monthly calculator
Estimate the monthly government top-up on childcare costs, 20p for every 80p spent, up to £2,000 per child per year.
Free School Meals eligibility checker
Check likely Free School Meals eligibility in England using Universal Credit income, other qualifying benefits and infant-year rules.
Statutory Maternity Pay calculator
Estimate SMP for the first 39 weeks, 90% of weekly pay for 6 weeks, then the flat rate for up to 33 weeks.
Sure Start Maternity Grant checker
Check whether a household may qualify for the one-off £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant.
Healthy Start checker
Check whether pregnancy or having a child under 4 could make you eligible for Healthy Start support.
Plain-English guides
Benefits for low-income families
UK support for low-income families 2026/27: Universal Credit, Child Benefit, Free School Meals, Healthy Start and childcare help explained.
Child Benefit and HICBC thresholds 2026/27
Child Benefit 2026/27: £27.05/week first child. HICBC threshold £60,000 adjusted net income, charge claws back 1% per £200 over threshold, reaching 100% at £80,000. Pension contributions can reduce adjusted net income below the threshold.
Tax-Free Childcare explained
Tax-Free Childcare 2026/27: how the 20% top-up works, who qualifies, maximum savings per child, and how it compares to UC childcare support.
Tax-Free Childcare top-up examples
Tax-Free Childcare worked examples for 2026/27: pay £800 a quarter and the government adds £200 for £1,000 of childcare, up to £2,000 per child a year, and when UC beats it.
How much Child Benefit for 1, 2 or 3 children?
Child Benefit for 1, 2 and 3 children in 2026/27: £27.05, £44.95 and £62.85 a week, worth £1,406.60, £2,337.40 and £3,268.20 a year, plus when the High Income Charge bites.
Best next reads
Use these follow-up pages to move from the main estimate into worked examples, explanations and the questions that change awards most often.
Relevant situation guides
Benefits for single parents
Single parent benefits 2026/27: Universal Credit work allowance, Child Benefit, childcare support and council tax help, with a full worked example and calculator.
Benefits for low-income families
A guide to UK support for families on a low income, Universal Credit, Child Benefit, childcare help, Free School Meals, Healthy Start and more.
