Child Benefit on a £96,000 Salary

On a £96,000 salary in the 2025/26 tax year, Child Benefit for 2 children is £2,251.60 per year. The HICBC charge is £2,251.60, leaving net benefit of £0.00 per year (£0.00 per month).

At £96,000 per year, the High Income Child Benefit Charge fully claws back your Child Benefit. For two children, the £2,251.60 annual benefit is entirely offset by an HICBC charge of the same amount. Your net benefit is £0.00. However, you should still claim Child Benefit to protect your National Insurance record.

HICBC breakdown at £96,000

The table below shows your Child Benefit, HICBC charge, and net benefit at £96,000 for different numbers of children.

Children	Annual benefit	HICBC charge	Net benefit	Monthly net
1	£1,354.60	£1,354.60	£0.00	£0.00
2	£2,251.60	£2,251.60	£0.00	£0.00
3	£3,148.60	£3,148.60	£0.00	£0.00

How to reduce the HICBC on £96,000

At £96,000, you would need to sacrifice £36,000 into your pension to bring your adjusted net income below £60,000 and fully eliminate the HICBC. While this is a large amount, even partial pension contributions can reduce the charge.

For example, sacrificing £20,000 would bring your income to £76,000, reducing the clawback rate to 80% and saving you £450.32 per year.

Other ways to reduce your adjusted net income for HICBC purposes:

• Personal pension contributions — relief at source reduces adjusted net income
• Gift Aid donations — grossed up amount is deducted from income
• Trading losses — can be set against employment income
• Employment expenses — allowable expenses reduce adjusted net income

Compare Child Benefit at nearby salaries

• £91,000: HICBC claws back 100% — keep £0.00 (2 children)
• £94,000: HICBC claws back 100% — keep £0.00 (2 children)
• £98,000: HICBC claws back 100% — keep £0.00 (2 children)
• £101,000: HICBC claws back 100% — keep £0.00 (2 children)

Related calculations for £96,000

• Salary breakdown for £96,000 — see your full take-home pay, tax bands, and NI
• Pension tax relief calculator — see how pension contributions reduce your tax bill
• Salary sacrifice calculator — reduce your income below the HICBC threshold
• National Insurance on £96,000 — employee and employer NI breakdown

Frequently asked questions

How much Child Benefit do I keep on a £96,000 salary?

On a £96,000 salary with 2 children, HICBC claws back 100% of your £2,251.60 benefit. You keep £0.00 per year (£0.00 per month).

What is the HICBC threshold in 2025/26?

The HICBC threshold is £60,000 of adjusted net income. The charge tapers from £60,000 to £80,000, with full clawback at £80,000. This threshold was raised from £50,000 in April 2024.

Should I still claim Child Benefit on £96,000?

Yes, absolutely. Even though HICBC fully claws back the payment, claiming Child Benefit gives the claiming parent National Insurance credits towards their State Pension. You need 35 qualifying years for the full State Pension.