In this section:
- Checking your tax credits award notice
- How Child Benefit, tax credits and Guardian's Allowance are paid
- When can you expect your first tax credits payment?
- Reasons why your tax credits might go down or stop
- You've been overpaid tax credits - how did this happen?
When can you expect your first tax credits payment?
How quickly you'll receive a payment depends on whether we can make a decision based on your claim form or not. If you have not given us all the information we need we may have to contact you and this can cause delays.
What happens once your claim is processed?
Once we've dealt with your claim form you'll get either a letter explaining why you do not qualify for tax credits or an award notice which tells you:
- whether you qualify for tax credits
- which types of tax credits you'll get
- how much money you'll receive
- what information we've used to work out your award
- when and how to contact us if your circumstances change
Make sure you keep your tax credits award notice in a safe place.
How long will you have to wait?
We aim to get back to you about your claim within 30 days of receiving it. If you have been awarded tax credits we will send you an award notice which will tell you the date of your first payment and when you'll get further payments.
As we work out how much to pay you from what you tell us about your
income and family circumstances, it's very important that you check
this information on your award notice. Use the checklist that came with
it, and tell us straight away if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete.
If you don't, you may not be getting all the money you are entitled
to, or you could be building up an overpayment that you have to pay
back.
We aim to start paying your tax credits as soon as we have made a decision
on your award, so you may get your first payment before you get your
award notice. If this happens, it is still important that you check
your award notice once you get it, and tell us straight away if anything
is wrong, missing or incomplete.
If you make any mistakes or leave gaps on your claim form, we may have to contact you or make further enquiries which can cause delays and may mean you wait longer for your first payment.
How to avoid common mistakes on your tax credits claim form
Checking your tax credits award notice
Changes to your claim
If after you have sent in your claim form you need to make a change, for example you realise you've made a mistake, you've forgotten to tell us something or your circumstances change, you should tell us immediately by calling the Tax Credits Helpline on Tel 0845 300 3900 or textphone 0845 300 3909. If we can we will treat the information you give us as part of your original claim.
Reasons why you may not qualify
You may not qualify for tax credits because:
- your income is over the allowed amount
- you don't live in the United Kingdom
- you haven't received the right out-of-work benefit in the previous six months
- you or your partner are under 25 years old, don't have children and are not disabled
Use the tax credits questionnaire to see if you may qualify
Contact us
You can contact our Tax Credit Helpline on Tel 0845 300 3900 or textphone 0845 300 3909 (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, seven days a week except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day).
More useful links
How Child Benefit, tax credits and Guardian's Allowance are paid
