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Why is it important to renew your tax credits claim?

You need to renew so that:

• the Tax Credit Office has the right information about you
• you can make sure your income is still within the limits for getting tax credits
• the Tax Credit Office knows if anything has changed
• you continue to get all the money you're entitled to for the new tax year (from 6 April to 5 April the following year)
  

If you don't renew your tax credits:

• your payments may stop
• you'll have to repay any overpayment from the previous tax year, as well as any money paid to you since the start of the new tax year (6 April)
• you may lose out on any extra tax credits you’re entitled to
  

How to renew

If you’ve been sent an Annual Declaration form

You can renew by either:

• calling the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900
• completing the Annual Declaration form and returning it in the envelope provided

Make sure you’ve got all the information together that you need before you renew.

• Getting ready to renew your tax credits

If you’ve only got an Annual Review notice

Check the information provided on the Annual Review notice. If any of the following applies, call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900:

• you have had any changes in your circumstances
• your income is above the limits shown in the notice
• there are mistakes or missing details in the notice
  

Make sure you’ve got all the information together that you need before you call.

If none of these apply, you don’t need to do anything - your tax credits will be automatically renewed.

• Getting ready to renew your tax credits

Who gets a renewal pack?

Everyone who gets tax credits gets a renewal pack. This applies even if you:

• claimed tax credits but didn't get them because your income is too high (a nil award)
• only got tax credits for part of the year

If you have made more than one tax credits claim during the year, you will be sent a separate renewal pack for each claim.

• Help with the tax credits renewal pack

What happens if you don't renew?

If you’ve been sent an Annual Declaration and don't renew:

• your payments will stop
• you will have to pay back any overpayment from the previous year
• you will have to pay back any money paid to you since the start of the new tax year (6 April)

The deadline for all replies is shown on your Annual Review form - usually 31 July. Don't wait for the deadline. The sooner you check your details and report any changes, the sooner you can get the money you're entitled to.

• Check the deadlines for renewing your tax credits claim

What happens after you have renewed?

If you only received an Annual Review notice

If you reported a change of circumstances or missing information after you checked your Annual Review notice, you'll get an amended award notice.

Check the amended award notice and tell the Tax Credit Office if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete. You need to do this within one month.

If you’ve completed an Annual Declaration

The Tax Credit Office will:

• check that you received the right amount of tax credit payments in the last tax year (ended 5 April)
• send you an award notice with a final decision for the year
• check your tax credits for the current year (from 6 April)
• send you another award notice showing what your payments will be for the current year
  

Your award notices will show any overpayments or underpayments.

Check the amended award notice and tell the Tax Credit Office if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete. You need to do this within one month.

Why you need to report changes

You should report any changes in your personal circumstances straight away.

You could lose money if you don't as tax credits can only be backdated by up to three months.

For example if you have a baby on 12 June, but do not let the Tax Credit Office know until 12 October, they will only backdate your payments until 12 July.

• Why you need to report changes to the Tax Credit Office

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

• Checking your tax credits award notice

• How to avoid being paid too much or not enough tax credits

• Tax credits - rights and responsibilities