Tax credits claims last for a maximum of one tax year (6 April to following 5 April). This section describes how the renewal process works.

This page covers tax credit payments, how they are paid and the frequency of payments. 

Tax credits are worked out using yearly rates and yearly income figures. We explain how disregards work, which year’s income is used, what to do if the estimate is wrong and what to do when your income changes.

The amount and type of income you have will affect how much tax credits you might get. The rules are the same for child tax credit, working tax credit or both. This page explains what counts as income for tax credits.

This page explains when it is possible for tax credit awards to be backdated.

Tax credit awards are made up of a number of elements. The amount of any award depends on the elements that are included in the award and the household income.