Child Benefit: every value since 1977
The weekly rate of Child Benefit for the eldest or only child and for each other child.
Department for Work and Pensions gives 48 values for the eldest or only child, from £1.50 in April 1977 to £26.05 in April 2025. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up 40 times, and 7 rows repeat the previous value. The largest rise from one value to the next was +53.3%, in April 1978 (from £1.50 to £2.30). Across the whole series the cash value changed by +1,636.7%. The value in April 2025 was +1.8% on the one before; ONS CPI inflation for calendar year 2025 was 3.4%. Ten years before the latest value, in April 2015, it was £20.70. DWP's expenditure tables put total spending on Child Benefit at £8.9 billion in 2002/03, with an average caseload of 7,042 thousand.
Eldest or only child
| From | Eldest or only child (a week) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | £26.05 | +1.8% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £25.60 | +6.7% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £24.00 | +10.1% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £21.80 | +3.1% | 9.1% |
| April 2021 | £21.15 | +0.5% | 2.6% |
| April 2020 | £21.05 | +1.7% | 0.9% |
| April 2019 | £20.70 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £20.70 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £20.70 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £20.70 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £20.70 | +1.0% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £20.50 | +1.0% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £20.30 | – | 2.6% |
| April 2012 | £20.30 | – | 2.8% |
| April 2011 | £20.30 | – | 4.5% |
| April 2010 | £20.30 | +1.5% | 3.3% |
| January 2009 | £20.00 | +6.4% | 2.2% |
| April 2008 | £18.80 | +3.9% | 3.6% |
| April 2007 | £18.10 | +3.7% | 2.3% |
| April 2006 | £17.45 | +2.6% | 2.3% |
| April 2005 | £17.00 | +3.0% | 2.1% |
| April 2004 | £16.50 | +2.8% | 1.3% |
| April 2003 | £16.05 | +1.9% | 1.4% |
| April 2002 | £15.75 | +1.6% | 1.3% |
| April 2001 | £15.50 | +3.3% | 1.2% |
| April 2000 | £15.00 | +4.2% | 0.8% |
| April 1999 | £14.40 | +25.8% | 1.3% |
| April 1998 | £11.45 | +3.6% | 1.6% |
| April 1997 | £11.05 | +2.3% | 1.8% |
| April 1996 | £10.80 | +3.8% | 2.4% |
| April 1995 | £10.40 | +2.0% | 2.6% |
| April 1994 | £10.20 | +2.0% | 2.0% |
| April 1993 | £10.00 | +3.6% | 2.5% |
| April 1992 | £9.65 | +4.3% | 4.2% |
| October 1991 | £9.25 | +12.1% | 7.5% |
| April 1991 | £8.25 | +13.8% | 7.5% |
| April 1987 | £7.25 | +2.1% | |
| July 1986 | £7.10 | +1.4% | |
| November 1985 | £7.00 | +2.2% | |
| November 1984 | £6.85 | +5.4% | |
| November 1983 | £6.50 | +11.1% | |
| November 1982 | £5.85 | +11.4% | |
| November 1981 | £5.25 | +10.5% | |
| November 1980 | £4.75 | +18.8% | |
| April 1979 | £4.00 | +33.3% | |
| November 1978 | £3.00 | +30.4% | |
| April 1978 | £2.30 | +53.3% | |
| April 1977 | £1.50 |
Source: DWP abstract.
Each additional child
Department for Work and Pensions gives 48 values for the each additional child, from £1.50 in April 1977 to £17.25 in April 2025. Each row is a date on which the rate was set; between the first and the latest it went up 39 times, and 8 rows repeat the previous value.
| From | Each additional child (a week) | Change on previous value | CPI inflation that calendar year (ONS, D7G7) |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | £17.25 | +1.8% | 3.4% |
| April 2024 | £16.95 | +6.6% | 2.5% |
| April 2023 | £15.90 | +10.0% | 7.3% |
| April 2022 | £14.45 | +3.2% | 9.1% |
| April 2021 | £14.00 | +0.4% | 2.6% |
| April 2020 | £13.95 | +1.8% | 0.9% |
| April 2019 | £13.70 | – | 1.8% |
| April 2018 | £13.70 | – | 2.5% |
| April 2017 | £13.70 | – | 2.7% |
| April 2016 | £13.70 | – | 0.7% |
| April 2015 | £13.70 | +1.1% | 0.0% |
| April 2014 | £13.55 | +1.1% | 1.5% |
| April 2013 | £13.40 | – | 2.6% |
| April 2012 | £13.40 | – | 2.8% |
| April 2011 | £13.40 | – | 4.5% |
| April 2010 | £13.40 | +1.5% | 3.3% |
| January 2009 | £13.20 | +5.2% | 2.2% |
| April 2008 | £12.55 | +3.7% | 3.6% |
| April 2007 | £12.10 | +3.4% | 2.3% |
| April 2006 | £11.70 | +2.6% | 2.3% |
| April 2005 | £11.40 | +3.2% | 2.1% |
| April 2004 | £11.05 | +2.8% | 1.3% |
| April 2003 | £10.75 | +1.9% | 1.4% |
| April 2002 | £10.55 | +1.9% | 1.3% |
| April 2001 | £10.35 | +3.5% | 1.2% |
| April 2000 | £10.00 | +4.2% | 0.8% |
| April 1999 | £9.60 | +3.2% | 1.3% |
| April 1998 | £9.30 | +3.3% | 1.6% |
| April 1997 | £9.00 | +2.3% | 1.8% |
| April 1996 | £8.80 | +4.1% | 2.4% |
| April 1995 | £8.45 | +2.4% | 2.6% |
| April 1994 | £8.25 | +1.9% | 2.0% |
| April 1993 | £8.10 | +3.8% | 2.5% |
| April 1992 | £7.80 | +4.0% | 4.2% |
| October 1991 | £7.50 | +3.4% | 7.5% |
| April 1991 | £7.25 | – | 7.5% |
| April 1987 | £7.25 | +2.1% | |
| July 1986 | £7.10 | +1.4% | |
| November 1985 | £7.00 | +2.2% | |
| November 1984 | £6.85 | +5.4% | |
| November 1983 | £6.50 | +11.1% | |
| November 1982 | £5.85 | +11.4% | |
| November 1981 | £5.25 | +10.5% | |
| November 1980 | £4.75 | +18.8% | |
| April 1979 | £4.00 | +33.3% | |
| November 1978 | £3.00 | +30.4% | |
| April 1978 | £2.30 | +53.3% | |
| April 1977 | £1.50 |
Source: DWP abstract.
CPI: ONS series D7G7, for the calendar year the period starts in. About these tables · CSV
Related pages
Sources and receipts
- Abstract of DWP benefit rate statistics 2025: data tables, Department for Work and Pensions.
File: data-tables-abstract-of-dwp-benefit-rate-statistics-2025.ods. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
88418e37624a12186fbbd90f24f5dd31907b5743b1357e027f7b8bfd77da85d3 - Consumer price inflation time series (MM23), Office for National Statistics.
File: mm23.csv. Read 2026-10-15. SHA-256
1b78749ea634755b83064d88f4fc6f7dd177e0c41d8b573c9d8172b8d3fff641