HMRC will issue Child Benefit payments on the earliest working day before the spring bank holiday (Image: Getty)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed £108.20 payment changes for some UK households claiming Child Benefit in July.
Child Benefit payments is usually paid by HMRC every four weeks on either a Monday or a Tuesday, but normal payments can sometimes be disrupted if its due on a bank holiday. For households in Northern Ireland, some claimants may be paid on a different date than usual in July due to the bank holiday for the Battle of the Boyne (Orangeman’s Day) on Monday, July 13. HMRC has confirmed to the Express that while July payments will be sent to all claimants on the scheduled day as normal, processing times may be affected by bank closures as a result of the bank holiday.
As such, households due to be paid on Monday, July 13, can instead expect payments to arrive from Tuesday, July 14, at least a day later than normal.
Northern Ireland households expecting a payment on Tuesday, July 14, may also receive it a day later from Wednesday, July 15, because of bank processing times being affected on the bank holiday.
HMRC said that payments can take “up to three working days to clear, and bank holidays during this period may cause a delay”. The government department added that the exact date households actually receive payments may vary depending on their specific bank, as some may credit payments sooner than others.
This delay to payments will only affect Child Benefit claimants in Northern Ireland due to the July 13 bank holiday, with claimants in other parts of the UK due to paid on their usual date.
HMRC said: “Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Monday or Tuesday. There are different payment dates if it’s due on a bank holiday.
“You can work out when you’re next going to get Child Benefit by counting 4 weeks forward from your last payment. Do not count forward if your payment was due on a bank holiday – the dates are different.
“Your payment might be delayed if the bank is closed for a public holiday on the day HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) pays you. Check with your bank for the date you’ll get your payment.”
Child Benefit can be claimed by parents or guardians who are responsible for raising a child under the age of 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.
As of April 6, 2026, claimants have seen a boost to payments for the 2026/27 tax year as rates have increased by 3.8%, adding an extra £1 per week for the first child and an extra 65p per week for each subsequent child.
This means the weekly rates are now £27.05 per week for the first or eldest child, and £17.90 for any additional children – an annual increase of £52 and £33.80 respectively.
As Child Benefit is paid by HMRC every four weeks, this amounts to £108.20 in each four-week payment period for claimants with one child, while those with more children will get an additional £71.90.
Over a full year, this amounts to a total of £1,406.60 per year for the eldest or only child, and an additional £930.80 per year for each additional child, with no limit as to how many children parents can claim for.
Confirming the 3.8% payment uplift for Child Benefit last year, James Murray, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: “The Tax Credits Act 2002 and Social Security Administration Act 1992 place a statutory duty on His Majesty’s Treasury to review the rates of child benefit each year in line with the general level of prices.
“There is a further statutory duty on the Treasury to increase guardian’s allowance in line with price growth. I have now concluded the review for the tax year 2026-27.
“I have decided to increase child benefit rates in line with the consumer prices index for the year to September 2025, which is 3.8%. Guardian’s allowance will also increase by the same rate. This means that, from 6 April 2026:
- the child benefit rate for the eldest child will increase from £26.05 to £27.05 per week;
- the child benefit rate for other children will increase from £17.25 to £17.90 per week;
- guardian’s allowance will increase from £22.10 to £22.95 per week.”