In this section:
Each year you will get a tax credits renewal pack. You need to check your renewal forms and make sure you report the right information to the Tax Credit Office. Find out what's in your pack, the information you need to check, how to work out your income, and how to avoid some common mistakes.
On this page:
Your renewal pack may include the following:
The packs are issued between April and 30 June each year. You need to renew by 31 July or whatever date is shown in your pack.
You can find out more about when to expect the forms, how to renew and what happens if you don't get them in the guide 'Renewing your tax credits - the basics'.
You can't get renewal forms online.
Renewing your tax credits - the basics
Check the following on your Annual Review notice:
A tax year runs from 6 April one year to 5 April the next.
Tell the Tax Credit Helpline straight away if anything is wrong on your notice or if anything has changed.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Your notice tells you if you claimed as a single person or as a couple (known as a 'joint' claim).
You should make a joint claim if you are:
Find out more about when to make a joint or single tax credits claim
Your notice shows the country you live in most of the time. It doesn't matter if you sometimes go to other countries for holidays for up to 8 weeks (and in some cases up to 12 weeks). You may also be able to get tax credits if you live outside of the UK.
Going abroad temporarily and claiming tax credits
Can you claim tax credits if you live outside of the UK
Your notice shows the country you work in most of the time and the number of hours a week you usually work.
It may also show you if you got certain benefits, for example Income Support, or if you are getting the 50-plus element of Working Tax Credit.
What counts as work for Working Tax Credit
Can you claim tax credits if you live outside of the UK?
Tax credits information if you're coming off benefits
You're 50 or over - extra Working Tax Credit payments
Your notice tells you if you were paid the disability - or severe disability - element of Working Tax Credit.
You have a disability - can you get extra Working Tax Credit?
Your notice shows you information about any children you claimed for, including if your child has a disability.
You can usually get Child Tax Credit for your child up to the age of 16 - or up to the age of 20 if they are in full-time education or approved training - as long as the education or training counts for tax credits.
You have children - can you get tax credits for them?
Your child reaches 16 - can you still get Child Tax Credit?
Children with disabilities - can you get extra tax credits?
If you work at least 16 hours a week and pay for registered or approved childcare, you may be able to get an extra Working Tax Credit payment to help with the costs. Your notice tells you if you qualify for this.
Help with childcare costs - do you qualify for extra tax credits
Your notice tells you about any changes of circumstances you reported.
Get a full list of all the changes you need to report for tax credits
The Annual Declaration comes with help notes. These include a working sheet where you can note down your income.
The following sections explain what income you need to include when renewing.
Some social security benefits are taxable, such as Bereavement Allowance or contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance, and they count as income when you make a tax credits claim.
Others, such as Disability Living Allowance, don't count as income.
Check which state benefits you need to report
If you're employed, you should get a P60 from your employer at the end of the tax year, showing what you earned. You need to include income from all jobs you have had.
If you didn't get a P60, your March payslip will show your earnings for the last tax year. Otherwise you'll need to:
You'll also need to report any taxable benefits you got from the job, and about any other money you got for example from stocks and shares or from bank interest.
You're employed - find out how to work out your income
Your income is the profit you made, and you should use the amount from your tax return. If you haven't sent in your tax return, you'll need to give an estimate of your profit.
If you do estimate your income, you must tell the Tax Credit Office the actual income figure no later than 31 January 2012.
You're self-employed - find out how to work out your income
You'll also need to work out your other income. This includes for example pensions, income from property, income that you receive from abroad and savings.
Other income - how to work it out for your tax credits claim
To avoid delays, it's important to:
Get the address of the Tax Credit Office
