HMRC is making two automatic changes to Child Benefit payments in May 2026. At the last count, 7.62 million families were claiming Child Benefit, with 6.91 million families in receipt of payments. However, the common benefit will undergo a shake-up in the fifth month of the year.
Bank Holiday Payment Adjustments
Your Child Benefit payment is usually paid on a different date than usual if it is due on a bank holiday. There are two bank holidays: May 4 and May 25. This means claimants will instead receive their payment on May 1 or May 22. Your payment might be delayed if the bank is closed for a public holiday on the day HMRC pays you. Check with your bank for the exact date you will get your payment. Additionally, local holidays may cause delays if you live in Glasgow (local holiday on September 28), Edinburgh (local holiday on September 21), or Dundee (local holiday on October 5).
Overpayments and Underpayments
You must contact the Child Benefit Office if you are paid too much or too little under HMRC and Labour Party government rules. Any Child Benefit payments you receive will count towards the benefit cap. If you are affected by the cap, you will still get the full amount for your Child Benefit payments, but your other benefits may be reduced.
New Payment Rates from April 2026
From April 6, claimants will receive £27.05 per week (or £1,406.60 per year) for the eldest or only child and £17.90 per week (or £930.80 per year) for each additional child, with no limit on the number of children parents can claim for. This means the maximum you receive works out at around £180 per month. Under the new rates, HMRC is handing claimants an annual increase of £52 and £33.80 respectively.
HMRC Chief Customer Officer Statement
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: "Looking after a child can be expensive and especially a newborn baby. It takes a few minutes to claim Child Benefit via the app and doing so as soon as you can after your baby is born will ensure you do not miss out on vital financial support."
Child Benefit is usually paid every four weeks and will automatically be paid into a bank account, according to HMRC.
