Check if you can get child tax credits

Universal Credit has replaced tax credits for most people. If you already get Working Tax Credits, you can still add Child Tax Credits to your claim. If you made a claim for Child Tax Credits in the last tax year, you might be able to make a new claim. You should talk to an adviser to find out if you can.

If you got a severe disability premium (SDP)

You can’t make a new claim for tax credits but you can claim Universal Credit instead.

If you’ve been told to claim Universal Credit by a certain date

If you get a letter telling you to claim Universal Credit by a certain deadline, this is a ‘migration notice’. Check what you should do if you get a migration notice.

If you haven’t been told to claim Universal Credit by a certain date

You might get an extra amount in your Universal Credit when you apply – this is called the ‘SDP transitional element’. You’ll get the SDP transitional element if you apply for Universal Credit within a month after you stop getting the benefit with the SDP. You can’t get the SDP transitional element if either:

the only benefit you got the premium with was Housing Benefit
you move in with a partner who is claiming Universal Credit

If you also got a disability premium with your benefit

You can get an extra amount on top of your transitional element if you got the SDP and one of the following with your benefit:

a disability premium
an enhanced disability premium
a child disability premium or disabled child element

If you applied for Universal Credit before 14 February 2024, you wouldn’t have got this extra amount. You’ll get a back payment, but the DWP haven’t decided when this will happen yet. We’ll update our advice when the DWP announces how they’ll send the payments.

If you applied for Universal Credit before 27 January 2021

You couldn’t claim Universal Credit if you were getting, or recently stopped getting, a benefit with an SDP. If you applied for Universal Credit before 27 January 2021, talk to an adviser to check what you’re entitled to.

If you’ve reached your State Pension age, you can’t make a new claim for Child Tax Credits. You should check if you can get Pension Credit. If you get Pension Credit, you’ll receive extra payment for each child you’re responsible for. You can check your State Pension age on GOV.UK. You can usually get Child Tax Credits for each child or young person you’re responsible for until the 31 August after they turn 16. The amount of money you get depends on:

how many children you have
when they were born
whether you already get child tax credits

The child you’re responsible for will need to be either under 16 or between 16 and 20 and in full-time approved education or training. A 16-year old who’s not in approved education or training is considered a young person until the 31 August after they turn 16 unless:

they work 24 or more hours a week
they’re entitled to Universal Credit, income-based Jobseekers’ Allowance, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance

You can get an extra amount of tax credits for your child if they are disabled – it doesn’t matter when they were born.

If your child is 16 or older

You can claim for a child until they turn 20 if they stay in approved education, training and aren’t:

getting benefits themselves, for example Universal Credit
married, in a civil partnership or living with their partner
working in a paid job for 24 or more hours a week and have left education

If your child leaves education before they’re 18 and registers with a careers service or joins the Armed Forces, you can get tax credits for 20 weeks if they’re:

16 or 17 years old
working less than 24 hours a week
not getting benefits themselves, for example Income Support

Tell HMRC if you’re getting tax credits and any of these things change – you might be paid too much if you don’t.

If you get other benefits

Tax credits can have a knock-on effect on other benefits you claim. This means claiming tax credits could leave you worse off. If you’re 18 or over, you can use the Turn2us benefits calculator to check if it’s worth claiming tax credits. You’ll need to enter details of the other benefits you claim. If you’d rather speak to someone in person, contact us. An adviser can help you work out if claiming tax credits would leave you better off.

If you get help with childcare costs

You can’t get tax-free childcare at the same time as child tax credits. If you use the childcare voucher scheme, you can get child tax credits to cover childcare costs your vouchers don’t cover. You can check what help you can get with childcare costs on GOV.UK.

If you’re not a UK citizen

You can only get Child Tax Credits if your immigration status lets you claim public funds. In some situations you also need a ‘right to reside’. You can claim public funds if you have any of the following:

British or Irish citizenship

settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme

indefinite leave – unless you came to the UK on an adult dependent relative visa

refugee status or humanitarian protection

right of abode

If you have pre-settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme, you can claim public funds – but you also need to show you have a right to reside to get Child Tax Credits. Check if you have a right to reside. If you’ve applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and you’re waiting for a decision, you can claim public funds – but you also need to show you have a right to reside to get Child Tax Credits. Check if you have a right to reside. If you have any other immigration status, check if your immigration status lets you claim public funds.

Work out how many children you can claim tax credits for

If your children were all born before 6 April 2017, you can claim child tax credits for each child. If your first or second child was born on or after 6 April 2017, you can claim child tax credits for them. If your third child or any later child was born on or after 6 April 2017, you can’t usually get child tax credits for them. You should still let HMRC know about them. If they’re disabled, you might still get a payment if one of these applies:

they get Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
they get Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
they get Child Disability Payment
they get Adult Disability Payment
they’re certified blind

There are some exceptions – you might still get a payment for 3 or more children if:

you have a multiple birth – if you have other children born before 6 April 2017 you won’t get a payment for the first child in a multiple birth
you’ve adopted a child from the UK (unless you were the child’s step-parent immediately before adopting them)
you’re caring for someone else’s child in a formal care arrangement
you’re caring for someone else’s child in an informal arrangement where otherwise they’d be in care
you have a child from a pregnancy that was from rape or a controlling relationship – find out how to report this and get help if you need it
you’re responsible for a child under 16 who has their own child and they both live with you

Check the exceptions and how to apply for them on GOV.UK.

ExamplePhilip has 3 children who were all born before 6 April 2017. He gets child tax credits for all of them. He’ll keep getting the same amount because they were all born before 6 April 2017.

ExampleYasmin has 2 children who were both born before 6 April 2017 and she gets child tax credits for both of them. She’s expecting another baby, due after 6 April 2017. She won’t get child tax credits for her baby because it’s her third child.

ExampleJane gets tax credits for 1 child who was born before 6 April 2017. She’s expecting twins due after 6 April 2017. She’ll get child tax credits for both of them when they’re born.

Who counts as responsible for a child or young person

You’re responsible for a child if they either:

live with you all the time
usually live with you and you’re their main carer

If you share responsibility for a child, for example if you and your partner are separated, only one of you can claim child tax credits. This should be the person who is mainly responsible for the child. If one parent spends more on childcare, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re mainly responsible. The person who looks after the child most of the time should claim. Contact us if you can’t decide who should claim tax credits – an adviser can help you decide.

If you’re a foster carer

You can’t claim child tax credits for a foster child if you get a fostering allowance, or the child’s maintenance or accommodation is paid for by someone other than yourself. If you aren’t sure, call the tax credits helpline to check.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) tax credits helpline Telephone: 0345 300 3900 Relay UK – if you can’t hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0345 300 3900 You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. There’s no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website. If you’re calling outside of the UK: +44 2890 538 192 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Telephone (Welsh language): 0300 200 1900 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm

Your call is likely to be free of charge if you have a phone deal that includes free calls to landlines – find out more about calling 0345 numbers.

Checking you’re below the income limit

You don’t need to be working to claim child tax credits, but if you are you need to earn less than a certain amount. The amount you can earn depends on your circumstances. HMRC looks at things like:

the number of hours you work
how many children you have
if you’re a single parent

If you’re 18 or over, you can use the Turn2us benefits calculator to check if you can get child tax credits.

If you’re part of a couple

If you’re in a couple, you’ll need to make a joint claim with your partner. You’re counted as a couple if you’re married or in a civil partnership, or if you live together. If you’re temporarily separated, but still legally married, you’ll need to make a joint claim. HMRC treats you as a couple unless you’re either:

divorced
legally separated under a court order
permanently separated – ie you don’t plan to get back together

Check if you can get other benefits

If you can get child tax credits you might also be able to get other benefits. If you’re 18 or over, you can use the Turn2Us benefits calculator to check which benefits you can get.

Next steps

Child tax credits – how much you can get How to claim working and child tax credits