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The Tax Credit Office will ask you to 'renew' your tax credits claim once a year. This is to make sure you've been paid - and continue to be paid - the right money. Find out who needs to renew, the forms involved, how to renew and what happens if you don't renew.
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You need to renew your tax credits so that the Tax Credit Office:
If you're paid more tax credits than you're entitled to (an 'overpayment') you will usually have to pay the money back.
A tax year starts on 6 April one year and ends on 5 April the following year.
You need to renew if you have been sent an Annual Declaration form TC603D (or TC603D2) with an Annual Review notice (TC603R).
You don't need to renew if you have only been sent an Annual Review notice. Your claim will be renewed automatically. The exception to this is where your income may be too high for you to get tax credits. If this applies to you, the Tax Credit Office will write to you telling you what you need to do.
Even if your claim is renewed automatically, you still need to tell the Tax Credit Office straightaway if:
Tax credits: changes you need to report and when
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Everyone who makes a claim for tax credits during a tax year gets a renewal pack. This also applies if you:
You get a separate renewal pack for each claim you have made during the year.
Your pack may include:
You'll just get an Annual Review notice if any of the following applies to you:
Your most recent award notice will give you details of your tax credits entitlement.
Checking your tax credits award notice
Help with the tax credits renewal pack
The packs are issued between early April and 30 June each year, roughly as follows:
If you claimed:
If you haven't been sent your renewal pack by 15 July 2011, you should contact the Tax Credit Helpline.
The Tax Credit Helpline will send you the renewal forms you need. You'll then have 30 days to renew or report a change in circumstances. Your payments will carry on in the meantime.
You can't get a renewal pack online.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
You won't be able to renew until you have received your renewals pack and you know what forms you've been sent.
Once you've got your pack, if you need to renew do so as soon as possible. The final deadline for renewing is usually 31 July but check if your pack shows a different deadline.
You can renew in one of the following ways:
You can't renew online.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline and Tax Credit Office
When to renew your tax credits
When you contact the Helpline, have the following paperwork handy:
Getting ready to renew your tax credits
Help with the tax credits renewal pack
Changes you need to report and when for tax credits
Your payments:
If you delay renewing, your payments may be wrong. You may have to repay any overpayment.
If you've been sent an Annual Declaration and don't renew, the following will happen:
Unless your claim has been automatically renewed, the Tax Credit Office will send you:
The Tax Credit Office may write to you to check that you have renewed correctly and may ask you for evidence, for example, of your income. So keep any relevant paperwork safe.
If you don't get your award notice within eight weeks, contact the Tax Credit Helpline.
Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline
Checking your tax credits award notice
When you can expect your tax credits renewal to be dealt with
How to avoid being paid too much or not enough tax credits
Tax credits - rights and responsibilities