Overview
- UK families on Child Benefit will be paid earlier in May 2026, with payments due on 4 May moved to 1 May and those due on 25 May moved to 24 May.
- HMRC moves payments to the prior working day when a due date falls on a bank holiday and tells claimants not to count forward from a shifted date.
- New 2026–27 rates took effect on 6 April, paying £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 for each additional child, about £108.20 every four weeks for one child.
- Eligibility covers children under 16 or under 20 in approved education or training, and claims also grant National Insurance credits for parents of children under 12.
- Only about 72% of families claim in a baby’s first year, and claims can be backdated for a maximum of three months, so new parents are urged to apply via the HMRC app.