Do you have children - can you get tax credits for them?

Child Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit for most people.

You can only make a new claim for Child Tax Credit if you: get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it If your child is 16, you can claim up until 31 August after their 16th birthday.

If they are in approved education or training, you can claim until their 20th birthday. If you cannot make a new claim for Child Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit (or Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over).

What you’ll get The amount you can get depends on how many children you’ve got and whether you’re: making a new claim for Child Tax Credit already claiming Child Tax Credit Child Tax Credit will not affect your Child Benefit.

You can only claim Child Tax Credit for children you’re responsible for. Moving to the UK from the EEA You must wait 3 months before claiming Child Tax Credit if you arrived in the UK from the EEA on or after 1 July 2014 and do not work. There are some exceptions who will not have to wait 3 months, for example refugees.

When you can claim for a child

You can usually claim Child Tax Credit for:

• ·                 a new baby
• ·                 any child who lives with you, until 31 August after their 16th birthday
• ·                 children under 20, if they're in certain types of education or training

If you have a baby, your payments can be backdated to when the baby was born - but only if you claim within three months. For example, if your baby was born on 1 January but your claim is received on 1 June, you'll only be paid from 1 March.

Once 31 August after your child's 16th birthday passes, you can still claim Child Tax Credit for them, as long as they are:

• ·                 under 20
• ·                 in education or training that counts for Child Tax Credit

Education or training counts for Child Tax Credit if it's either full-time, 'non-advanced' education, or 'approved' training. For example 'A' levels, or Foundation Learning.

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 If you're not the child's parent

You can claim Child Tax Credit if you have responsibility for a child. This could be for example if:

·                 the child usually lives with you

·                 the child keeps their toys, clothes and so on at your home

·                 you pay for their meals and give them pocket money

There can be exceptions to this, for example, if a child from abroad lives with you as an exchange student. You can’t claim Child Tax Credit for them, because they do not usually live with you and are only in the UK for their education.

If you're not sure whether you count as being responsible for a child you can call the Tax Credit Helpline for advice.

Adoptive parents and foster parents

A child might be placed with you for either adoption or fostering. You can claim Child Tax Credit for them as long as you're not getting any money from your:

·                 local authority

·                 Health and Social Services Board

If you are getting money from either of these, call the Tax Credit Helpline to find out if you can claim.

If your child lives with more than one person

Only one household can get Child Tax Credit for a child.

You might look after a child who sometimes lives with you and sometimes lives with someone else. You can't both get Child Tax Credit for the same child, so you'll have to decide who should get it.

You can't claim Child Tax Credit if your child doesn't live with you at all - even if you're paying maintenance.

If you can't agree who'll claim

If you can't agree who'll get the Child Tax Credit, both of you should claim for the child. Then the Tax Credit Office will decide for you. They'll contact both of you so that they can work out who has main responsibility for the child. They will consider things that include the number of days the child lives with you, and where they keep most of their clothes and toys.

If you're already getting Child Tax Credit for your child

Someone else might make a claim for a child you're getting Child Tax Credit for. If this happens, the Tax Credit Office may ask you to tell them why you think you have main responsibility for that child.

If you can't agree who should get the Child Tax Credit, the Tax Credit Office will decide for you. You'll still keep getting paid while they make their decision.

(information taken from the tax credit website)

Tax Credit Helpline

For general information about tax credits