Introduction

Introduced with effect from 7 January 2013, the high income child benefit charge (HICBC) acts to claw back child benefit payments where the person receiving the child benefit or their partner earns at least £60,000 (£50,000 before 6 April 2024). The partner with the higher income is the person who suffers the charge.

From 6 April 2024, the rate of the income tax charge is 1% for every £200 by which the adjusted net income exceeds £60,000. This means that complete clawback of the child benefit effectively occurs where the earnings are £80,000 or above. Before 6 April 2024, the income tax charge was 1% for every £100 by which the adjusted net income exceeded £50,000 and full clawback occurred from £60,000.

Unless the person entitled to receive the child benefit elects not to receive it, the benefit is made as usual but that person or their partner will suffer the tax charge.

For full details of the tax charge and a discussion of whose income needs to be considered