Tax credit renewals
The deadline for families and individuals to renew their tax credit claims was 31 July 2013. Claimants who did not renew on time may have had their payments stopped. Claimants needed to notify HMRC of changes to their family size, child care costs, number of hours worked and salary.
Details of previous year’s income was also required to allow HMRC to check and see if the correct tax credits had been paid.
However, claimants who estimated their income when they renewed their claim must provide their actual income to the tax credit office by 31 January 2014. This will ensure that they receive what they are entitled to for the coming tax year starting 6 April 2014, and that they were paid the right amount in the last tax ending 5 April 2013.
Claimants must also inform HMRC of any changes in circumstances not already reported during the year such as new working hours, different childcare costs or changes in pay.
The Universal Credit will eventually replace tax credits as well as other benefits including the jobseeker’s allowance and housing benefit. The Universal Credit will be gradually rolled out to the whole of the UK by 2017.