Tax credits are payments that you receive from the Tax Credit Office (which is part of HM Revenue & Customs) to help you with your everyday costs. They consist of two elements: Working tax credit and Child tax credit.

Working Tax Credit is a payment to top up the earnings of people on low income. It is payable to eligible people who are either employed or self-employed. It can be claimed even if a person doesn’t have children.

Child Tax Credit is payable to people who are responsible for at least one qualifying child or young person. You do not need to be employed or self-employed to claim. In addition, you don’t have to be the child’s parent to be eligible but you must be the main person responsible for them.

You can claim Working Tax Credit if you are aged 25 or over and work at least 30 hours a week.

If you belong to one of the following groups, the rules are different:

Chid Tax Credit provides financial support to:

a child until 1 September after their 16th birthday.

Disabled - if you are aged 16 or over and work 16 hours or more a week and you qualify for the disability element of the Working Tax Credit

a young person aged from 16 but under 20 years old in full-time education or unwaged training, up to and including ‘A’ levels, NVQ level 3 or Scottish Highers or approved, unwaged training.

Over 50’s - if you are aged 50 or over and you're returning to work after a period on benefit you have to work 16 hours or more a week

Parents - if you are responsible for a child (not necessarily your own) you have to be aged 16 or over and work for 16 hours or more a week

a young person aged 16 or 17:

has left full-time non-advanced education or training but does not have a job or a training place and has registered with the Careers Service or Connexions Service (Training and Employment Agency in Nothern Ireland)

Tax credits are based on your household income and circumstances, so when your make a claim, you'll need to give the Tax Credit Office information about:

Your income and the number of hours you normally work a week

is not claiming Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or tax credits in his or her own right

the income of your partner or civil partner (if you have one) and the number of hours they normally work a week

is not in full-time work 24 hours or more a week.

any benefits you're getting

Please click here to see how much you could get.

Please click here to see how much you could get.