Child Benefit payment dates

Child Benefit is usually paid every 4 weeks, on a Monday or a Tuesday (GOV.UK). You can choose to be paid weekly instead if you're a single parent, or if you or your partner get certain benefits such as Income Support.

You can work out your next payment by counting 4 weeks forward from your last one — but not if that payment was due on a bank holiday, because HMRC moves Child Benefit to its own published dates, which don't always follow the usual "working day before" rule (see the HMRC table below).

HMRC's own Child Benefit bank holiday dates for 2026

Child Benefit is paid by HMRC, and GOV.UK publishes HMRC's own adjusted dates. Note the pattern: around bank holidays that apply UK-wide, Child Benefit is paid early; around Scotland-only or Northern Ireland-only holidays it is sometimes paid a day later. Always use this table — not the general rule — for Child Benefit.

Source: GOV.UK, "Child Benefit payment dates", checked 10 November 2026. GOV.UK also advises that payments can be delayed by local holidays in Scotland (such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee local holidays) — check with your bank if a payment is later than expected.

Bank holiday payment dates 2026–2027

If your Child Benefit payment is due on one of these bank holidays, you'll usually be paid on the last working day before it. Find your part of the UK:

England & Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Getting paid over Christmas and New Year? See the dedicated Christmas payment dates 2026/27 page. You can also see the full 2027 bank holiday payment calendar, or check dates for England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my Child Benefit arrive a day late?

Child Benefit is paid by HMRC, not DWP, and HMRC sometimes pays a day later around Scotland-only or Northern Ireland-only bank holidays — for example, payments due on Monday 13 July 2026 in Northern Ireland were paid on Tuesday 14 July 2026 (GOV.UK). Around UK-wide holidays it is usually paid early instead.

What day of the week is Child Benefit paid?

Usually a Monday or a Tuesday, every 4 weeks. If you're paid weekly (single parents and some benefit claimants), it's the same weekday each week.

When is Child Benefit paid over Christmas 2026?

HMRC has published that Child Benefit due on Monday 28 December 2026 will be paid early, on Thursday 24 December 2026. See our Christmas payment dates page for the full picture.

How do I check my last Child Benefit payment?

Check your bank statement — the reference begins with 'HMRC Child Benefit' — or view up to 5 previous payments in your online Child Benefit account (GOV.UK).

Why was I paid earlier than usual?

If your usual payment date landed on a weekend or a bank holiday, the payment was moved to the working day before. The amount is the same — only the date changes.

Official information: GOV.UK — Child Benefit. General payment rules: GOV.UK — How and when your benefits are paid.