How Much Is Child Benefit in 25/26? New Payment Rates Explained

In April 2025, Child Benefit 25/26 rates increased for families across the UK. Want to know how much Child Benefit you’re getting this year? Back in April 2025, Child Benefit payments increased for families across the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has increased most benefits in line with inflation, including Child Benefit, to help households keep up with rising living costs. Here’s what’s changed, including the latest Child Benefit rates for 25/26, how much you’ll get for each child, and how to manage your payments easily with a Suits Me account.

Child Benefit 25/26 Rates- Quick Summary

• £26.05/week for your eldest or only child
• £17.25/week for each additional child
• Paid every 4 weeks
• New rates started April 2025

Who Can Claim Child Benefit?

You can claim Child Benefit if you’re in the UK and you’re responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they’re in approved education or training. That usually means you live with them or help cover their costs – you don’t have to be their parent.

Only one person can claim for each child, and the payments go to the person who takes the main responsibility for them. If you or your partner earns over £50,000, you might have to pay some of it back in line with the High Income Child Benefit Charge. There’s no limit to how many children you can claim for. You can check the latest eligibility rules or make a claim directly on GOV.UK’s Child Benefit page.

Child Benefit Payment Rates

Child Benefit is paid every four weeks, normally on a Monday or Tuesday. From April 2025, payments increased slightly from the previous year:

That’s around £113.55 per month for your eldest child and £74.85 per month for each additional child. If you also receive Guardian’s Allowance, that’s increased to £22.10 per week for the 2025/26 financial year.

Why the DWP Checks Bank Accounts

The DWP is looking to run checks with big UK banks to make sure benefit payments are fair and accurate. These checks help confirm things like income and savings, so that support goes to the right people.

These checks cover the UK’s top 15 banks, including Barclays, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Halifax, and Monzo.

Suits Me isn’t part of this system, which means your account details stay private and secure.

Manage Your Child Benefit Payments with Suits Me

Lots of our customers use their account just for benefit payments – it keeps everything organised. Setting up a Suits Me account only takes a few minutes.

You can:

• Get your Child Benefit paid directly into your account.
• Earn cashback at partner retailers – some offering up to 15% back when you pay with your Suits Me debit card.
• Set up standing orders and direct debits for bills.
• Send money instantly within the UK, or abroad through our partner in the app.
• Track spending 24/7 with the Suits Me mobile app.

Even if you’ve had trouble opening an account elsewhere, don’t worry – with Suits Me, you can open an online banking account – even with bad credit. No credit checks or proof of address needed – and you’ll get your debit card in the post in a few days.

Why Choose Suits Me

Suits Me gives you the tools to stay in control of your money – from instant payments and cashback rewards to an online account and mobile app where you can track every penny.

Open Your Account Today

Join thousands already using Suits Me to manage their benefits and everyday spending – no credit checks, no hassle – just straightforward banking that fits your life.

FAQs

This article was updated for the 2025/26 tax year based on the latest DWP guidance.