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If you split up with a partner - or a new partner moves in - your current tax credits claim will come to an end. You may need to make a new single or joint claim to make sure you’re getting the right tax credits payments. You need to report the change to the Tax Credit Office within one month.
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You must contact the Tax Credit Helpline - within one month - if any of the following apply:
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
If you don't report these changes you may be paid the wrong amount of tax credits. In some cases you may be paid too much (called an 'overpayment').
You'll usually have to pay back any overpayments and you may be charged a penalty.
Changes you need to report and when for tax credits
If you're married or in a civil partnership your joint claim ends when you have legally separated or your separation is likely to be permanent
If you've been living with someone as if you’re married or civil partners, your joint claim ends when you stop living with that person.
You need to make a single claim if you are no longer part of a couple. You can do this by calling the Tax Credit Helpline. You are then paid tax credits as a single person, as long as you still qualify.
If you don't qualify any more, you may have to pay back any money you shouldn't have had from when your joint claim should have ended. That's why you should report the change straight away.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Check if you qualify for tax credits - quick questionnaire
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you might get
If you're getting tax credits as a single person, you need to make a new joint claim if one of the following applies:
Contact the Tax Credit Helpline to get a claim form.
Your old single claim comes to an end on the day you:
You are then paid tax credits as a couple, as long as you still qualify.
Your partner's personal circumstances, such as their income and any hours they work, are taken into account when your new payments are worked out. You may get more - or less - money.
If you don't qualify any more, you may have to pay back any money you shouldn't have had from when your single claim should have ended. That’s why you should report the change straight away.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Check if you qualify for tax credits - quick questionnaire
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you might get
You may already be getting tax credits as part of a couple, for example because one of the following applies to you:
You need to make a brand new joint claim if you start living with, marry, or enter into a civil partnership with a different partner.
Contact the Tax Credit Helpline to get a claim form.
Your old claim will come to an end on the day you:
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Your new partner's personal circumstances, such as their income and any hours they work, are taken into account when your new payments are worked out. You may get more - or less - money.
If you don't qualify any more, you may have to pay back any money you shouldn't have had from when your old claim should have ended. That’s why you should report the change straight away.
Check if you qualify for tax credits - quick questionnaire
Tax credits calculator - find out how much you might get
You'll get a new award notice telling you whether you still qualify for tax credits and if so, how much you'll get from now on.
Please check that your details are correct on the new award notice.
Get help with understanding your tax credits award notice
You may be paid too much in tax credits - an overpayment - if you don't report a change in your relationship.
The longer you take to report a change in your relationship, the bigger any overpayment could be.
However the Tax Credit Office may consider reducing the amount you have to pay back. For this to happen, you need to have set up a new claim as a single person or a joint claim with your new partner.
The Tax Credit Office will work out what you would have been paid for your new claim, if you'd told them about the change on time. They will then take that amount off your overpayment.
If you think this applies to you, you should call the Tax Credit Helpline.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
You may have received a letter from the 'Tax Credit Review Team' about your tax credits award as a single person. The Tax Credit Review Team are part of the Tax Credit Office.
If you get one of these letters it will ask you to call the team on the telephone number at the top of the letter. You will be able to speak to an adviser, who will help to check that you're getting the right amount of tax credits.
Follow the link below to find out more.
'Your award as a single person' letter – what you need to do
If you have an overpayment on a joint claim that's come to an end, the Tax Credit Office will ask you to pay it back. This is called a direct payment. You might still qualify for tax credits either as a single person, or with a different partner. But even if you do, the Tax Credit Office won't be able to collect the money by reducing your new tax credits award.
If you and your ex-partner had a joint tax credits claim, the Tax Credit Office will write to you both about any overpayment. They will tell you the total amount due. You and your ex-partner are jointly responsible for paying it back.
You have separated and have a joint tax credits overpayment
If you have difficulty paying the money back you should call the Tax Credits Payment Helpline on Tel 0845 302 1429. You may be able to pay the money you owe in instalments.
Difficulty repaying overpaid tax credits?
When to make a joint or single tax credits claim
