Tax credits for cross-border workers

If you regularly travel from another country to work in the UK you may be able to get Working Tax Credit. For example, you might travel from the Republic of Ireland or France to work in the UK. If you have a child you could also get Child Tax Credit.

On this page:

Can you get tax credits?

Whether or not you can get tax credits depends on:

  • your circumstances, for example how many hours you work each week or if you have children
  • how much money you've got coming in - your income

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What tax credits can you get?

You may be able to get Working Tax Credit if both of the following apply:

  • you live in a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland
  • you work in the UK, meaning you actually have to do your work in the UK - it's not enough just to work for an employer who's based in the UK

You don't need to have children to get Working Tax Credit.

You will normally get Working Tax Credit as a single person, even if you're part of a couple. But if your partner also works in the UK, you will get Working Tax Credit as a couple.

What counts as work for Working Tax Credit?

When to make a joint or single tax credits claim

If you have children

You and your partner - if you have one - can usually get Child Tax Credit for your children if:

  • you work in the UK
  • you pay National Insurance contributions as a worker here
  • your child lives in an EEA country or in Switzerland and is living with your partner or someone else and they depend on you to support them

You can't claim Child Tax Credit for a child who lives outside the EEA or Switzerland. An exception to this is if you or your partner are a Crown servant posted abroad.

You can usually claim help for your childcare costs through Working Tax Credit (the 'childcare element'), as long as one of the following applies:

  • your children are in registered or approved childcare in the UK
  • your children are in childcare approved by a Ministry of Defence accreditation scheme abroad - if you're a Crown Servant posted abroad

Your family doesn’t live in the UK - can you get tax credits?

Help with childcare costs - do you qualify for extra tax credits?

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Countries that are 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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How much could you get?

How much you could get depends on your income and circumstances. Your income could include other benefits you get, perhaps from other countries. The lower your income, the more tax credits you can get.

How your tax credits entitlement is worked out

Tax credits calculator - find out how much you can get

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More useful links

How to claim tax credits

How non-UK benefits affect tax credits

Changes that affect your tax credits

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