Tax Credits Deadline: Customers At Risk Of Losing Out

24th July 2020

People whose circumstances have changed in the last year or who have received a letter to reconfirm their income details must contact HMRC before 31 July 2020.

Tax credits customers have just one week left to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about changes to their circumstances or income before the deadline on 31 July 2020.

Customers whose circumstances have changed in the last year or who have received a letter to reconfirm their income details must contact HMRC.

Failure to respond by the deadline may mean tax credits customers receive incorrect tax credits payments and may end up having to repay any overpayments.

HMRC's Director General for Customer Services, Angela MacDonald, said:Tax credits provide much needed financial support to our customers. But we know that many customers leave it to the last minute to renew their tax credits award.

The time to renew your tax credits is now, you don't need to wait until deadline day on 31 July 2020.

Customers who received an annual review pack or text and have already made their declaration including confirming their income and circumstances, don’t need to do anything else.

However, customers need to contact HMRC straightaway if they disagree with any of the information in the pack or letter, need to tell us about any changes, or are self-employed and the income we hold for 2019 to 2020 is an estimate because they have not yet filed their tax return (they will then have until 31 January 2021 to tell us their actual income).

How to renew

Renewing tax credits online is quick and easy. Customers can log onto GOV.UK to check the progress of their renewal, be reassured that it is being processed, and know when they will hear back from HMRC.

Customers can use the HMRC App on their smartphone to:

renew their tax credits

check their tax credits payments schedule

find out how much they have earned for the year

Customers can get help and information on renewing tax credits:

on GOV.UK at Manage your tax credits

using our webchat service, by going to GOV.UK and searching for ‘tax credits general enquiries’

by tweeting @HMRCcustomers or posting on our Facebook page with general queries

by using the HMRC App, available via your phone’s app store

using the online Tax credits forum

by calling the tax credits helpline: 0345 300 3900