# The Child Benefit charge: £60,000 to £80,000 | ComputeNow

URL: https://computenow.co.uk/guides/child-benefit-charge/

> How the High Income Child Benefit Charge works in 2026/27: 1% of Child Benefit per £200 over £60,000, for one to three children.

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# The Child Benefit charge: £60,000 to £80,000

If you or your partner earn over £60,000, part of your Child Benefit is taken back through tax. Here is how much, and how to keep more of it.
Published 18 October 2026UK
By the ComputeNow team, checked against GOV.UK and HMRC[Sources (3)](#sources)[How we calculate](https://computenow.co.uk/methodology/)

## Key points

- **Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for your eldest child** and £17.90 for each other child: £2,337.40 a year for two.
- **The higher earner pays 1% of it back for every £200** of adjusted net income over £60,000.
- **At £80,000 the charge equals the benefit.** You can still claim, to protect your State Pension record.
- **A pension can cancel the charge.** On £70,000 with two children, sacrificing £10,000 into a pension costs you only £4,631.30 of take-home pay.

Work out your own
Add your children under More options to see the charge on your own pay.[Open the take-home pay calculator](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/?salary=70000)

## How the charge works

The High Income Child Benefit Charge applies if your adjusted net income, or your partner's, is over £60,000. Whoever earns more pays it. For every £200 of income over £60,000, they pay back 1% of the Child Benefit the household gets. At £80,000 they pay it all back.
It is worked out on income for the whole tax year, and collected through Self Assessment or your tax code.

## What the charge is at each income

| Higher earner's income | One child | Two children | Three children |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| £60,000 | £0.00 | £0.00 | £0.00 |
| £62,000 | £140.66 | £233.74 | £326.82 |
| £65,000 | £351.65 | £584.35 | £817.05 |
| £70,000 | £703.30 | £1,168.70 | £1,634.10 |
| £75,000 | £1,054.95 | £1,753.05 | £2,451.15 |
| £80,000 | £1,406.60 | £2,337.40 | £3,268.20 |

Child Benefit for a full year: £1,406.60 for one child, £2,337.40 for two, £3,268.20 for three.

## Using a pension to reduce it

Pension contributions through salary sacrifice or a net pay scheme lower your adjusted net income, and so does a personal pension contribution or Gift Aid, grossed up. On £70,000 with two children, the charge is £1,168.70. Sacrificing £10,000 into a pension removes it, puts £10,000.00 into your pension, and lowers your take-home pay by only £4,631.30.

## Claim even if you will pay it all back

A Child Benefit claim gives the parent who claims National Insurance credits for each year their youngest child is under 12, which count towards the [State Pension](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/state-pension-and-your-ni-record/). It also gets your child a National Insurance number automatically. If the charge would cancel the benefit, you can claim and choose not to be paid.

## Bottom line

The charge depends on the higher earner's income alone, not on your household's. Between £60,000 and £80,000, it adds a lot to the tax on each extra pound, so it is worth checking whether a pension contribution would bring your income down.

## Tips

- Adjusted net income includes bonuses, savings interest and rental profit, not just your salary.
- Even if the charge would take back all of your Child Benefit, claim it and opt out of the payments: the claim gives a parent at home National Insurance credits.
- If you pay the charge through Self Assessment, register in time: the deadline for a new tax year is 5 October after it ends.
This guide explains the rules; it is not personal financial advice.

## Related

[Take-home pay calculator Your pay after tax, with Child Benefit](https://computenow.co.uk/take-home-pay/)[Pension calculator Your pension pot at retirement](https://computenow.co.uk/pension-calculator/)[Bonus tax calculator What you keep from a bonus](https://computenow.co.uk/bonus-tax-calculator/)

## Guides and help

### Our guides

[The 60% tax trap Why income over £100,000 is taxed at 60%, and what to do](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/60-percent-tax-trap/)[What you keep from a pay rise in 2026/27 Take-home from every extra £1,000, salary by salary](https://computenow.co.uk/guides/what-you-keep-from-a-pay-rise-2026-27/)

### Official services and free advice

[Child Benefit GOV.UK: how to claim, and the high income charge](https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit)[Tax-Free Childcare GOV.UK: help with childcare costs](https://www.gov.uk/tax-free-childcare)[Self Assessment tax returns GOV.UK: who needs to send one](https://www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns)

## Article sources

Each source was last checked on 18 October 2026.

- [GOV.UK: High Income Child Benefit Charge](https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-charge)
- [GOV.UK: Child Benefit rates](https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/what-youll-get)
- [GOV.UK: Tax on your private pension](https://www.gov.uk/tax-on-your-private-pension)
These results are an estimate, not financial advice. They use the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026 and the inputs shown, so your actual tax, pay or costs may differ. Before making a decision about your money, check the figures with HMRC or your provider, or speak to a regulated financial adviser. Free, impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper.
This page explains the rules using the 2026/27 rates in force on 24 October 2026. It is general information, not financial advice. For decisions about your own money, speak to a regulated financial adviser, or get free, impartial guidance from MoneyHelper.