Child Benefit by Country (2026–27): US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Switzerland
Every one of these countries pays families something per child, but the design differs more than the headline amounts suggest. Ireland and Switzerland pay everyone the same; Canada and Australia pay the most to lower-income families and taper it away; the UK pays everyone and then claws it back through tax from higher earners; and the US gives a tax credit rather than a monthly payment.
The table shows each country’s maximum for one child, in its own currency: the yearly amount for a baby, and the total from birth to 18 (today’s rates, no inflation, assuming the child stays eligible to 18).
| Country | Payment | Per year, first child (age 0) | Birth to 18, one child | Two children | Income test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Child Tax Credit | $2,200 | $37,400 | $74,800 | Phases out at higher incomes; only part is refundable |
| United Kingdom | Child Benefit | £1,407 | £25,319 | £42,073 | Clawed back through tax from £60,000 of one parent’s income |
| Canada | Canada Child Benefit | $8,157 | $131,538 | $263,076 | Income-tested: falls as family net income rises |
| Australia | Family Tax Benefit Part A | $6,122 | $119,432 | $238,864 | Means-tested on family income |
| Ireland | Child Benefit | €1,680 | €30,240 | €60,480 | None: the same for every family |
| Switzerland | Family allowance | CHF 2'580 | CHF 47'712 | CHF 95'424 | None federally; cantons set rates at or above the minimum |
Maximums are not what most families get in Canada, Australia and the US, where the amount depends on income. In the UK the payment is the same for everyone, but a parent earning over £60,000 repays some or all of it through tax. Only Ireland and the Swiss federal minimum are truly the same for every family.
Why the totals differ so much
Three design choices explain most of the gap between countries, and they matter more for planning than the headline number.
- Age. Some countries pay more when children are young, others when they are older. The Canada Child Benefit is highest before age 6 ($8,157 a year at the maximum, then $6,883). Australia’s Family Tax Benefit Part A rises for teenagers ($235.48 a fortnight to age 12, $306.46 from 13). Switzerland’s federal minimum steps up from 16, when the education allowance (CHF 268 a month) replaces the child allowance (CHF 215). The US Child Tax Credit stops at 17.
- Birth order. The UK pays more for the eldest or only child (£27.05 a week) than for each younger child (£17.90). The other countries here pay the same for every child, so a second child adds less in the UK than elsewhere.
- Income. This is the big one. In Canada and Australia the maximum goes only to lower-income families and tapers away as income rises, so a middle-income family may get a fraction of the table’s figure. In the US the credit phases out at higher incomes, and a family with little tax to pay may get only the refundable part. In the UK everyone can claim, but one parent’s income over £60,000 triggers a tax charge that recovers it.
What it means for planning
In Ireland and Switzerland you can plan around the amount: it is the same every year whatever you earn. In Canada the benefit is recalculated each July from the previous year’s family income, so a pay rise this year lowers next year’s payment. In Australia payments are reconciled against your actual income after the tax year, and an estimate that turns out too low can leave a debt to repay, so it is worth updating your income estimate when it changes. In the UK, it is still worth claiming even if the tax charge takes it all back, because claiming protects the National Insurance record of a parent who is not working. In the US, the credit arrives with your tax return rather than as a monthly payment, so it helps cash flow once a year.
Whatever the system, child benefit covers only part of what a child costs. Our cost of raising a child calculator sets the benefit against everyday costs by age, childcare and housing, year by year, in each of these countries.
Country by country
United States: Child Tax Credit
The Child Tax Credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17 for 2026, of which up to $1,700 is refundable (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). It phases out at higher incomes, and a family with little tax liability may receive only the refundable part. See it against the full cost of raising a child →
United Kingdom: Child Benefit
Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 for each additional child (2026/27, gov.uk). The High Income Child Benefit Charge claws it back from £60,000 of adjusted net income, so a higher earner may keep little or none of it. See it against the full cost of raising a child →
Canada: Canada Child Benefit
The Canada Child Benefit maximum is $8,157 a year per child under 6 and $6,883 aged 6 to 17 for July 2026 to June 2027. It is income-tested and falls as family net income rises; these are maximums (canada.ca, checked 2026-10-29). See it against the full cost of raising a child →
Australia: Family Tax Benefit Part A
Family Tax Benefit Part A maximum rate is $235.48 a fortnight per child aged 0 to 12 and $306.46 for 13 to 19 (from 1 July 2026). It is means-tested on family income, so most families receive less than the maximum. See it against the full cost of raising a child →
Ireland: Child Benefit
Child Benefit is €140 a month per child (2026, Citizens Information). It is not means-tested. It is paid for children under 16, and to 18 for those in full-time education, which this model assumes. See it against the full cost of raising a child →
Switzerland: Family allowance
The federal minimum family allowance is CHF 215 a month per child and CHF 268 a month education allowance from 16 (Federal Social Insurance Office). Cantons set their own rates, many above the minimum, so check your canton's family allowance office. See it against the full cost of raising a child →
What does a child really cost, after benefits?
Our cost of raising a child calculator works year by year from birth to 18 in your country: everyday costs by age, childcare, housing and the official child benefit.
Cost of raising a child →Related
- Parental leave pay by country: what each system pays while you are on leave.
- Cost of a baby’s first year by country.
- What can I claim? (Ireland): Child Benefit and every other Irish support in one check.
Sources
- IRS: Child Tax Credit
- GOV.UK: Child Benefit and High Income Child Benefit Charge
- Government of Canada: Canada Child Benefit
- Services Australia: Family Tax Benefit
- Citizens Information: Child Benefit
- Federal Social Insurance Office: family allowances
Amounts as recorded in our country data, each checked against its official source (see the notes above). Totals use today’s rates without inflation. General information, not advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Child Tax Credit in the US?
The Child Tax Credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17 for 2026, of which up to $1,700 is refundable (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32). It phases out at higher incomes, and a family with little tax liability may receive only the refundable part.
How much is Child Benefit in the UK?
Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child and £17.90 for each additional child (2026/27, gov.uk). The High Income Child Benefit Charge claws it back from £60,000 of adjusted net income, so a higher earner may keep little or none of it.
How much is Canada Child Benefit in Canada?
The Canada Child Benefit maximum is $8,157 a year per child under 6 and $6,883 aged 6 to 17 for July 2026 to June 2027. It is income-tested and falls as family net income rises; these are maximums (canada.ca, checked 2026-10-29).
How much is Family Tax Benefit Part A in Australia?
Family Tax Benefit Part A maximum rate is $235.48 a fortnight per child aged 0 to 12 and $306.46 for 13 to 19 (from 1 July 2026). It is means-tested on family income, so most families receive less than the maximum.
How much is Child Benefit in Ireland?
Child Benefit is €140 a month per child (2026, Citizens Information). It is not means-tested. It is paid for children under 16, and to 18 for those in full-time education, which this model assumes.
How much is Family allowance in Switzerland?
The federal minimum family allowance is CHF 215 a month per child and CHF 268 a month education allowance from 16 (Federal Social Insurance Office). Cantons set their own rates, many above the minimum, so check your canton's family allowance office.
Cite this article
DecisionsCalc. (2026). Child Benefit by Country (2026–27): US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Switzerland. DecisionsCalc. https://decisionscalc.com/articles/child-benefit-by-country/