GOV.UK
Tax credits if you have a baby
You can claim tax credits if you have a baby or get more money if you’re already getting tax credits - you must apply to see exactly what you can get.
| Tax credit | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Child Tax Credit | Up to £3,325 per year |
| Tax credits for childcare while you work | Up to £122.50 a week (1 child) Up to £210 a week (2 or more children) You won’t get 100% of your childcare costs |
| Working Tax Credit | Up to £1,960 per year |
Even though you’ve stopped work to have a baby you’re entitled to get Working Tax Credit for:
- the first 39 weeks of maternity (or adoption) leave
- your period of ordinary paternity leave
To qualify, you must have been working at least 16 or 30 hours a week before your leave. The actual number of hours depends on your circumstances.
Use the tax credit calculator to work out what you can get.
How to claim
You can:
- apply for tax credits - if you’ve not applied for tax credits before
- update your claim - if you’ve already applied for Child or Working Tax Credit
To update a claim, just contact the Tax Credit Office - you don’t need to fill out a claim form.
When to claim
Tell the Tax Credit Office within 1 month of the birth so your claim can be backdated to the date of birth. If you don’t, your tax credits will only be backdated by 1 month from the date of your claim.
Example
Your baby is born 1 September.
You tell the Tax Credit Office on 1 January so your tax credits get backdated to 1 December.
If you’d told them by 1 October you’d be getting tax credits from 1 September.