How to renew tax credits

If you’re claiming tax credits, you’ll be sent a renewal pack. It will tell you how to renew your tax credits.

You must renew your tax credits by 31 July 2018 if your renewal pack has a red line across the first page and it says ‘reply now’.

If you miss the deadline your tax credits payments will stop. You’ll be sent a statement and will have to pay back the tax credits you’ve been given since 6 April 2018.

From 6 April, you’ll get estimated payments from HMRC until you renew. Your payments may have changed based on information from your employer or pension provider.

When you don’t need to renew

If your renewal pack says ‘check now’, check your details to make sure they’re correct.

You don’t need to do anything if your details are correct. Your tax credits will be automatically renewed.

You must tell the Tax Credit Office by 31 July 2018 if anything in your pack is incorrect. Your tax credits could stop or you could be fined if you don’t.

You won’t get a renewal pack until April 2019 if you first claimed tax credits after 6 April 2018.

How to renew

If you need to renew, you can either do it:

• online
• by phone or post

The Tax Credit Office will tell you how much you’ll get within 8 weeks of receiving your renewal.

What you need

You’ll need:

• your renewal pack - if you don’t get your renewal pack by 26 June 2018, call the tax credits helpline
• your National Insurance number
• details about any changes to your circumstances
• you and your partner’s total income for the last tax year
• the 15-digit renewals reference number on your renewal pack - if you’re renewing by phone