If you have a baby, you might be able to:
- get more money - if you’re already claiming tax credits
- make a new tax credits claim - if you’ve not claimed tax credits before
You can only make a new claim for tax credits if you:
- get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it
- got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it
If you cannot make a new claim for tax credits, you might be able to apply for Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
What you can get
| What you may be entitled to: | |
|---|---|
| Child Tax Credit | Up to £3,325 per year |
| Tax Credits for Childcare while you work | Up to £122.50 per week (for one chilld), up to £210.00 per week (for two or more children) You will not get 100% of your childcare costs. |
| Working Tax Credit | Up to £1,960 per year |
Even though you’ve stopped work to have a baby you’re entitled to get Working Tax Credit for:
- the first 39 weeks of maternity (or adoption) leave
- your period of ordinary paternity leave
To qualify, you must have been working at least 16 or 30 hours a week before your leave. The actual number of hours depends on your circumstances.
Use the tax credit calculator to work out what you can get.
How to claim
You can:
- apply for tax credits - if you’ve not applied for tax credits before
- update your claim - if you’ve already applied for Child or Working Tax Credit
Update your claim by reporting a change in your circumstances online or by phone.
When to claim
Tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within 1 month of the birth so your claim can be backdated to the date of birth. If you do not, your tax credits will only be backdated by 1 month from the date of your claim.
Example
Your baby is born 1 September.
You tell HMRC on 1 January so your tax credits get backdated to 1 December.
If you’d told them by 1 October you’d be getting tax credits from 1 September.