How to renew tax credits

If you’re claiming tax credits, you’ll be sent a renewal pack. It’ll say if you need to do anything to renew your tax credits.

Let HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) know about any changes to your circumstances or if your details are wrong.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

If your renewal pack has a black line and says ‘check now’

You’ll need to check your details. If they’re correct, you do not need to do anything. Your tax credits will be automatically renewed.

Your renewal pack will say how much you’ll be paid this year - this is your ‘award notice’. You might need to show your award notice to get certain benefits.

If your renewal pack has a red line and says ‘reply now’

You’ll need to renew your tax credits by the date shown on your renewal pack. For most people, this is 31 July 2024.

You’ll get estimated (‘provisional’) payments after 6 April until you renew. HMRC may pay you a different amount based on new information from your employer or pension provider.

How to renew

The quickest and easiest way to renew your tax credits is to:

• renew online
• renew using the HMRC app - find out how to download the app and watch a video about managing tax credits on the app

You can also renew tax credits by phone or post.

You’ll need:

• your renewal pack (if you have one)

• details about any changes to your circumstances

• your and your partner’s total income for the last tax year (6 April 2023 to 5 April 2024)

If you’ve not received your renewal pack by 20 June 2024, contact HMRC.

If you miss the deadline for renewing

You’ll be sent a statement (TC607). If you contact HMRC within 30 days of the date on the statement your tax credit claim may be restored and you will not have to pay anything back.

If you contact HMRC later than the 30 days, they will ask you to explain the reasons for the delay - known as ‘good cause’ - before they consider restoring your claim.

If your claim is restored, HMRC will tell you how much you’ll get within 8 weeks of receiving your renewal.

If you do not contact HMRC at all after receiving the statement, your tax credits payments will stop and you will have to pay back the tax credits you’ve received since 6 April 2024.

If HMRC stops your payments, you cannot make a new claim for tax credits.

You can apply for either of the following instead:

• Universal Credit, if you‘re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
• Pension Credit, if you (and your partner) are over State Pension age