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. If you have been awarded tax credits they will send you an award notice which will tell you the date of your first payment and when you'll get further payments.

As they work out how much to pay you from what you tell them 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 them 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.

The Tax Credit Office aim to start paying your tax credits as soon as they 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 them straight away if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete.

If you make any mistakes or leave gaps on your claim form, they 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

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.

You've been on benefits or are responsible for children and haven't got your payment

The Tax Credit Office try to make sure you have your payment with 7 to 10 days of sending in your claim if any of the following applies:

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.

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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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