When can you expect your first tax credits payment?

How quickly you'll receive a payment depends on whether a decision can be made based on your claim form or not. If you have not given the Tax Credit Office all the information they need they may have to contact you and this can cause delays.

What happens once your claim is processed?

Once the Tax Credit Office has 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 the Tax Credit Office has used to work out your award
when and how to contact the Tax Credit Office if your circumstances change

Make sure you keep your tax credits award notice in a safe place.

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How long will you have to wait?

The Tax Credit Office aims to get back to you about your claim within 30 days of receiving it.

In some cases, you may be able to get your payment within two weeks of applying for tax credits. This will only happen if you told the Tax Credit Office one of the following on your claim form:

you have come off benefits and have increased your hours or started work
you have had a baby and have made a new Child Tax Credit claim
you have dependent children and have made a new Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment Allowance claim.

Your award notice, if you get one, will tell you the date of your first payment and when you'll get further payments.

You may get your first payment before you get your award notice. You must check your award notice once you get it, and tell the Tax Credit Office straight away if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete.

If you make any mistakes or leave gaps on your claim form, the Tax Credit Office may have to contact you or make further enquiries. This 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

You've got financial difficulties and haven't got your payment

If you can't meet your essential living expenses such as rent, gas or electricity bills, and you haven't heard from the Tax Credit Office within 30 days, please contact the Tax Credit Helpline. They will be able to tell you what the latest is on your claim and whether there is any information they are still waiting for.

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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 the Tax Credit Office immediately by calling the Tax Credits Helpline on Tel 0845 300 3900 or textphone 0845 300 3909. If they can they will treat the information you give us as part of your original claim.

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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

Check if you qualify for tax credits - quick questionnaire

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Contact the Tax Credit Office

If you need more help you can call the Tax Credits Helpline which is open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. The numbers you can ring are:

tel 0845 300 3900
textphone 0845 300 3909 - if you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment

If you're calling from overseas you can also contact the Tax Credit Office on Tel + 44 289 053 8192.

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