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What happens to your tax credits if you are sent to prison?

You can't claim Working Tax Credit if:

• you are sent to prison
• you are sent to a young offenders' institution

You must tell the Tax Credit Office as soon as possible to avoid getting an overpayment that you may have to pay back.

If you are remanded in custody awaiting trial or sentence, and you were working and claiming tax credits before you went into custody, you continue to be eligible for tax credits while on remand.

What happens to your tax credits when you are released from prison?

If you are released after trial, let the Tax Credit Office know and your tax credits entitlement will be reviewed.

You may be able to claim tax credits again when you are released from prison, if you are:

• put on probation
• electronically tagged
• released on parole

What happens to your tax credits if your partner gets sent to prison?

If you've been getting tax credits as a couple and your partner is sent to prison you should let the Tax Credit Office know as soon as possible because your entitlement may change and they may have to review your payments.

What happens to your tax credits if your child gets sent to prison?

If you're claiming Child Tax Credit for a child or young person and they are sentenced to four months or more in custody or detention, you can't get tax credits for them while they serve their sentence.

Any tax credits you may be getting for your other children should stay the same. You need to tell the Tax Credit Office as soon as possible by calling the Tax Credit Helpline.

Contact the Tax Credit Office

If you need more help you can call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900, or textphone 0845 300 3909 if you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).

If you're calling from overseas you can also contact the Tax Credit Office on +44 289 053 8192.

• The cost of contacting 08 and 03 telephone numbers

More useful links

• How your tax credits entitlement is worked out

• Tax credits: how and when to report changes

• Check if you qualify for tax credits - quick questionnaire