In this section:
- Which children can you claim tax credits for?
- Help with childcare costs - do you qualify?
- Children with disabilities and tax credits - who qualifies?
- Can you claim tax credits if you're not the child's parent?
- Claiming tax credits if your child lives at more than one address
- Who can claim tax credits if your child has a child?
Which children can you claim tax credits for?
If you look after any children under the age of 16 - or under 20 if they're in full-time education or approved training - you may be able to claim Child Tax Credit to help with the cost of looking after them.
When you can claim for a child
You can claim tax credits for a child who lives with you, up to 31 August after their 16th birthday.
If your child is between 16 and 19, you can still claim tax credits for them if they're:
- still in full-time education, up to and including 'A' levels, NVQ level 3 or Scottish Highers
- in approved training like Entry to Employment, Skillbuild and Get Ready for Work
If your child is between 16 and 17, and they're not in full-time education or approved training, you can still claim tax credits for them for up to 20 weeks if they have signed up with the Careers Service, Connexions Service or Training and Employment Agency.
Find out more about what happens to your tax credits when your child reaches 16
Adoptive parents and foster parents
If you're adopting or fostering a child you can claim tax credits for them as long as you're not getting any money from your local authority or Health and Social Services Board.
If you are getting money from your local authority or Health and Social Services Board you should call the Tax Credit Helpline to find out if you can claim.
If your child lives with more than one person
If you look after a child who sometimes lives with you and sometimes lives with someone else - for example your ex-partner - then only one of you can claim tax credits for them. Child Tax Credit is usually paid directly to the person who is the child's main carer.
It's up to you and the other adult involved to decide who claims for the child. If you can't agree and both of you make a claim then the Tax Credit Office will decide after contacting you both.
Claiming tax credits if your child lives at more than one address
If your child lives outside the UK
Your child lives in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
You can claim tax credits for your child if they live in another EEA country or Switzerland and either of the following applies:
- they live with your partner
- they are financially dependent on you
Your child lives outside the EEA country and Switzerland
You can't claim tax credits for your child if they live outside the EEA and Switzerland.
EEA countries
EEA countries 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, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK).
Letting the Tax Credit Office know about changes at home
It's very important that you let us know straight away if a child leaves home or you start looking after a child. We realise this may be a busy or difficult time, but it's your responsibility to tell us about changes so we can base your payments on the correct facts.
Tax credits: how and when to tell us about changes
Contact us
You can contact our Tax Credit Helpline on Tel 0845 300 3900 or textphone 0845 300 3909 (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm seven days a week except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).
