# Is Child Benefit worth claiming if I earn over the | Clever Mum > Almost always yes — claim it even if the High Income Charge claws payments back, because the claim itself protects your National Insurance record (state * [ Home ](/) * › [ Mum Answers ](/answers) * › Is Child Benefit worth claiming if I earn over the threshold? Money & Rights # Is Child Benefit worth claiming if I earn over the threshold? Quick answer — Is Child Benefit worth claiming if I earn over the threshold? Almost always yes — claim it even if the High Income Charge claws payments back, because the claim itself protects your National Insurance record (state pension credits) while you’re home with a child under 12, and registers your child for their NI number. You can claim but opt out of payments to skip the tax admin. ## The two things the claim protects, beyond the money * **Your state pension.** A Child Benefit claim gives the claiming parent National Insurance credits while caring for a child under 12. If you're out of work or earning below the NI threshold and *don't* claim, you can end up with gap years that permanently reduce your state pension — a four-figure lifetime cost hiding behind a form. * **Your child's NI number.** Claimed children are automatically issued their National Insurance number at 16; unclaimed ones face a manual process. ## The high-earner trap, and the fix The High Income Child Benefit Charge tapers payments back once the higher earner's adjusted net income passes **£60,000**, with full clawback by **£80,000** (thresholds raised in April 2024 — many older articles still quote £50,000). The mistake is concluding "not worth claiming, then" — because the pension credits above come from the *claim*, not the payments. The fix: **claim, but tick the box to opt out of payments.** Full protection, zero tax admin. ## What it's worth Child Benefit pays **£26.05 a week for your eldest child** (April 2026 rate) — over £1,350 a year, uprated most Aprils, with a lower rate for each additional child. Check gov.uk for the live rates. ## One more detail worth knowing Make sure the lower-earning or non-earning parent is the named claimant — the NI credits go to whoever claims, and they're wasted on a parent already paying NI through work. Existing claims can be transferred. Our [maternity pay guide](/pregnancy/maternity-leave-and-pay-uk) covers the rest of the new-parent money stack. **Go deeper:** [Maternity pay explained](/pregnancy/maternity-leave-and-pay-uk/) ## More Money & Rights questions * [How much paternity leave do partners get in the UK?](/answers/partner-paternity-leave-uk/) * [How do free childcare hours work in England?](/answers/free-childcare-hours-uk/) * [How do I reconfirm free childcare hours every 3 months?](/answers/childcare-reconfirm-checklist-uk/) * [What is the Sure Start Maternity Grant?](/answers/sure-start-maternity-grant/) * [Do I get free prescriptions and dental care while pregnant?](/answers/free-prescriptions-dental-pregnant/) [Browse every question we answer →](/answers/) Health answers describe NHS guidance and are not medical advice — for anything urgent, call 111 (or 999 in an emergency). Spotted something out of date? Email [editors@clevermum.co.uk](mailto:editors@clevermum.co.uk).