Qualifying and claiming tax credits

Do I qualify for tax credits?

To qualify for Child Tax Credit, you must be aged 16 or over with children.

To claim Working Tax credit you must be:

• Aged 16 or over with children and working at least 16 hours per week; from 6 April 2012, couples with children need to work 24 hours a week between them, with one working at least 16 hours, or
• Aged 16 or over, disabled and working at least 16 hours week
• Aged 25 or over and working at least 30 hours per week
• Aged 50 or over and returning to work of at least 16 hours per week after six months on benefits (Note – this route is withdrawn from 5 April 2012)
• From 6 April 2011 – Aged 60 or over, working 16 hours per week

To qualify for help with childcare costs you must be working and have children. If you are a single parent family you must work at least 16 hours per week. It you are a couple you must both work at least 16 hours per week.

There are detailed conditions, particularly for people coming to the UK from abroad. You can check if you are eligible, and how much you might get, by using the HMRC tax credit questionnaires at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/questionnaires.htmFor more information about who qualifies, see -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/index.htm

Claiming Tax Credits

To receive tax credit you must make a claim. Claims are made for a household. You make a claim by completing a claim form obtainable from the HM Revenue and Customs tax credit helpline – 0345 300 3900. It is open 8.00 am to 8.00 pm seven days a week (but closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day).

On the claim form you will need to enter details of your income (household income if you are a couple), working hours and dependent children. For tax credits you are a couple if you are living together as a couple, there doesn’t need to be a legally recognised relationship. See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/get-started/joint-single-claim.htm for more details about when to claim as a couple.

Guidance on how and when to make a claim can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/claiming/get-started/index.htm.

For full contact details see Contact HMRC.