Tax planner
UK Child Benefit Tax Charge Calculator
Start with the higher earner, the claimant, and the household claim details so the HICBC position is clear before you open the full planner.
Guided household read
Map the Child Benefit charge without the tax-form feel.
Start with the household facts, then add the higher earner’s income and the reducers that could pull ANI back under the taper.
Claim
Step 1
Who is in the claim?
HICBC is charged on the higher earner, even if the other person claims Child Benefit.
Higher earner
Child Benefit claimant
Income
Step 2
What does the higher earner make?
Use the higher earner’s pay before tax. Bonus and taxable income can be added if they materially change the year.
Reducers
Step 3
Add pension or Gift Aid if they apply
These are the cleanest levers for moving the higher earner back under the taper line.
Live household position
See the Child Benefit charge before it becomes a surprise
Keep the claimant, higher earner, claim size, and ANI reducers together so the tax planner does not lose the household context.
Estimated HICBC charge
£182.32
Adjusted net income: £61,560.00
Based on the draft values on this page.
Annual claim
£2,337.40
2 children for 12 months
Estimated charge
£182.32
8% of the current claim exposed
Benefit kept
£2,155.08
After the estimated HICBC charge
Reducer needed
£1,560.00
Gross pension or Gift Aid to clear the taper start
What this means
Household setup
Partner claims it, but you is still the HICBC test earner.
HICBC follows the higher earner, not necessarily the person receiving the Child Benefit payment.
Current taper status
Inside £60,000.00-£80,000.00
The current higher-earner setup is already inside or above the taper band.
Next move
Likely Child Benefit charge: £182.32
£1,560.00 of gross pension or Gift Aid reduction would bring the higher earner back to the taper start.
Fine tune
Keep the household flow simple, then refine the payroll method
The guided start covers the charge. Use this only when the pension method affects the ANI result you want to use in the Tax planner.
Next step
£1,560.00 reducer needed
Save this result to compare salary sacrifice, private pension, and Gift Aid routes in the Tax planner.
Next move
Likely Child Benefit charge: £182.32
£1,560.00 of gross pension or Gift Aid reduction would bring the higher earner back to the taper start.
Reducer needed
£1,560.00
Gross pension or Gift Aid reduction needed to get back under the taper start.
Benefit retained
£2,155.08
What the household keeps after the current estimated charge.
Track this HICBC risk
Keep this household read
Save the claimant, higher earner, children, and current ANI result so the Tax planner opens with the right household context.
Current charge
£182.32
Claim details and higher-earner context stay with the next step.
What saving unlocks
Keep the household charge estimate and see the reducer needed.
Keep the household claim details and see what would actually reduce or clear the charge.
Keep this result
Save the editable version, or email yourself the read first.
No account needed for the email summary.
Save or share this household read
Estimated HICBC £182.32. Household keeps £2,155.08 after the current charge.
Who this helps
Who this Child Benefit calculator is for
Why households usually need a dedicated HICBC check
What this helps you decide
Built for households, not just one payslip
This calculator is for households already claiming Child Benefit or deciding whether the current claim still makes sense at the higher earner’s income.
The higher earner is the key test
The charge follows the higher earner’s adjusted net income, even when the Child Benefit payment goes to the other partner.
Pension and Gift Aid can change the result
Gross pension contributions and Gift Aid can reduce ANI enough to lower or remove the charge.
Useful before annual income changes
This is a good first check before a bonus, pay rise, or pension change shifts the household into a different HICBC position.
Common questions
How does the Child Benefit tax charge work?
The High Income Child Benefit Charge is tested against the higher earner in the household. As adjusted net income rises through the taper band, more of the Child Benefit received becomes repayable through tax.
When does the charge start?
For the current UK rules used by Seedli, the taper starts once adjusted net income moves above the HICBC start threshold for the selected tax year.
Does the claimant have to be the higher earner?
No. The person claiming Child Benefit can be different from the person whose income triggers the charge. The test follows the higher earner, not necessarily the claimant.
Can pension contributions reduce the Child Benefit charge?
Yes. If pension contributions reduce the higher earner’s adjusted net income, they can reduce or eliminate the charge.
Related calculators
Related calculators for the same household tax problem
Adjusted Net Income calculator
Use the ANI calculator when you want the underlying threshold figure without the household claim setup.
Salary sacrifice calculator
Use salary sacrifice when the likely fix is extra pension through payroll and you want to see the take-home trade-off.
Tax and payslip planner
Open the full tax planner when you want the Child Benefit read carried into a wider tax setup with PAYE anchors and scenario testing.
Save this setup in Seedli
Keep the household claim setup and continue inside Seedli
Useful guides
Guides that help before or after the household charge check
These pages explain the wider ANI and claiming decisions that sit around the HICBC calculation.
How to calculate adjusted net income from a payslip
Use one pay run as a starting point, then see which deductions and adjustments matter before you rely on the ANI result.
£100k tax trap calculator
See how far ANI is above £100,000, how much Personal Allowance is at risk, and which reductions would clear the taper.
Opt out of Child Benefit or keep claiming?
Understand the trade-off between receiving the payment, paying the charge, and keeping National Insurance credits in the household.
Salary sacrifice vs private pension calculator
Compare two common pension funding routes and see why the take-home cost can differ even when ANI does not.
Pension contribution calculator UK
Check how extra pension funding changes ANI, take-home, and the distance to HICBC or the £100k taper.
How HICBC works for two-income households
Separate claimant, higher earner, and household cashflow so the Child Benefit decision is based on the right person.
Keep this HICBC result
£182.32 charge, £2,155.08 benefit kept