Your family isn’t in the UK - help with your tax credits claim

If you're in the UK but your family is abroad it's important you fill in your tax credits claim form correctly. If you don't, your payments may be delayed or you might be paid the wrong amount.

On this page:

When to make a joint or single claim

Make a single tax credit claim if you're in the UK and one of the following applies:

  • your partner lives outside the UK, and you don't have any children
  • your partner and children live outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland - unless your partner is a Crown Servant posted overseas, in which case make a joint claim
  • you are single and have children who are financially dependent on you, but they live in the EEA or Switzerland with your ex-partner
  • you don’t have any children and your partner has been abroad for longer than eight weeks (or longer than 12 weeks, if they’re abroad because they or a family member - such as a child, brother, sister or parent - are getting medical treatment or have died)

Make a joint claim for tax credits if you're in the UK and one of the following applies:

  • your partner and children are living or working in the EEA or Switzerland
  • your partner is also in the UK, but they go abroad for eight weeks or less (or for up to 12 weeks if they or a family member - such as a child, brother, sister or parent - are getting medical treatment or have died)
  • your partner is a Crown servant posted anywhere overseas, for example in the armed forces
  • you and your partner have children who are financially dependent on you, but they live in the EEA or Switzerland with an ex-partner

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Countries in the EEA

The countries in the EEA along with the UK are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

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When to include children on the claim form

Include children on your claim form if you live in the UK and one of the following applies:

  • your children normally live with you
  • your children live with your partner or another person, for example a grandparent, in the EEA or Switzerland and are financially dependent on you
  • you've permanently split up from your partner and your children live in the EEA or Switzerland and are financially dependent on you
  • your partner is a Crown servant who is posted anywhere overseas and your children live with them

Also include children on your claim form if you live in the EEA or Switzerland and regularly travel to the UK for work. Regularly means every day, for example.

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What income you need to include

You need to include details on your claim form of:

  • your own income - if you're making a single claim
  • your income and your partner's income if you're making a joint claim
  • any income from overseas, wherever you receive it – this includes non-UK benefits, savings and earnings

You have to give the amounts in British pounds, not foreign currency. Use the average exchange rate for the year your income relates to. For example if your income relates to 6 April 2012 to 5 April 2013, use the average for the year ended 31 March 2013.

Go to an exchange rate calculator

If you get some family benefits from the EEA or Switzerland, you don't include them as income. But you will need to tell the Tax Credit Office about them when you send in your claim form. You can do this by sending in a separate note with your form.

How to work out your income for your tax credits claim

Find out how non-UK benefits affect your tax credits

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You - or your partner - don't have a National Insurance number

You may not have a National Insurance number yet. But you should still send in your claim form along with a separate note that gives:

  • the reason why you haven't got a National Insurance number
  • your name and address

Your partner may also not have a National Insurance number - for example because they haven't worked in the UK. But you should still send in the claim form and explain why they don't have one.

You - or your partner - might not have applied for a National Insurance number yet. If so, the Tax Credit Office will contact you to let you know what you need to do to apply for one.

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Where you live and work

Give the address where you and your partner - if you have one - are actually living when you fill in the claim form. Don’t put a UK address for your partner if your partner does not live in the UK. Put the address where they normally live, including the country.

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Signing the form

If you're making a joint claim, both of you need to sign the form. But if your partner lives outside the UK and can't sign the form you should sign it yourself. And you should send in a note saying why your partner couldn't sign it.

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More useful links

New arrivals to the UK and tax credits

How to avoid common mistakes on your claim form

Applying for a National Insurance Number

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