How far back can Child Benefit be backdated?

For parents and carers who have not yet claimed, or claimed late.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

Child Benefit can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you make your claim.

You can claim 48 hours after registering the birth, or once a child comes to live with you.
If you wait longer than 3 months, you lose the payments for the earlier weeks.
In 2026/27, 3 months of backdated Child Benefit for an eldest child is worth about £351.65.
If you opted out because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge, you can restart. HMRC will tell you about any backdated payments.

Key facts

Backdated up to 3 months
Claim 48 hours after registering birth
Claim even if you opt out
Restarting can take 28 days

What backdating means

Backdating means HMRC pays you for a period before the day you claimed. For Child Benefit, a new claim can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you make it. Weeks before that are lost.

When you can claim

48 hours after you register your baby's birth
as soon as a child comes to live with you, for example if you adopt or take on a relative's child

There is no benefit in waiting. The sooner you claim, the less you risk losing.

How much 3 months is worth (2026/27)

Three months is about 13 weeks. These are the weekly rates from April 2026.

Child	Per week	13 weeks (about 3 months)
Eldest or only child	£27.05	£351.65
Each other child	£17.90	£232.70

Worked example 1: claim on time

Leah registers her baby's birth and claims 5 weeks after the birth. Her claim is backdated to the birth, so she loses nothing. She gets 5 weeks of back pay: 5 x £27.05 = £135.25.

Worked example 2: claim late

Tom has a new baby and does not claim until 20 weeks after the birth. Only about 13 weeks can be backdated, so he loses about 7 weeks: 7 x £27.05 = £189.35 lost.

Why claim even if you will not keep the money

If you or your partner earn over £60,000, you may have to pay back some or all of the Child Benefit through the High Income Child Benefit Charge. You can choose not to get the payments. You should still claim, because claiming gets you National Insurance credits towards your State Pension if your child is under 12. You get these even if you do not take the payments.

Restarting payments after opting out

If you claimed but opted out, you can ask to restart, online or by phone or post. The Child Benefit Office will write to tell you how much backdated money you will get, if any. It can take up to 28 days to get your first payment. You may need to pay the tax charge on what you get.

What you need to claim

your child's birth or adoption certificate, if you have it
your bank or building society details
your National Insurance number, if you have one, and your partner's if you have a partner

You can claim online, or by post or phone if you cannot use the online service. Claims without a birth certificate take longer.

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Child Benefit is run by HMRC across the whole UK, so the same 3-month rule applies everywhere.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Claim Child Benefit

Common questions

Can Child Benefit be backdated more than 3 months?

No. A new claim can only be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you claim.

When should I claim Child Benefit for a new baby?

You can claim 48 hours after you register the birth. Claiming soon means you do not lose any weeks.

If I restart Child Benefit after opting out, is it backdated?

The Child Benefit Office will write to tell you how much you will get in backdated payments, if any. It can take up to 28 days to get the first payment.

Official sources

1.Child Benefit: how to claimwww.gov.uk/child-benefit/how-to-claim
2.Child Benefit: what you'll getwww.gov.uk/child-benefit/what-youll-get
3.Restart Child Benefit paymentswww.gov.uk/child-benefit-tax-charge/restart-child-benefit

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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