440,000 tax credits customers still to renew claims

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding 440,000 tax credits customers they have one month left to renew their tax credits claims ahead of the 31 July 2021 deadline.

More than 2.5 million annual tax credits review packs were posted to customers between late April and early June. Customers will have either received an ‘auto-renewal’ reminder or a ‘reply required’ notice. All ‘reply required’ customers must renew their claims or contact HMRC to notify them of any change in circumstances ahead of the deadline to continue receiving tax credits payments.

"We know how important tax credits are to our customers, so we’ve made it quicker and easier to renew claims online. There’s no need to wait for the 31 July deadline – do it now by searching ‘tax credits’ on GOV.UK," said Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's director general for customer services, said.

According to the HMRC, customers do not need to report any temporary falls in their working hours as a result of coronavirus. They will be treated as if they are working their normal hours for up to eight weeks after the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme closes.

Any self-employed individuals, who have claimed a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant, will need to declare the grant payments. 

If there is a change in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their tax credits claims, they must report the changes to HMRC. These include changes to:

• living arrangements;
• childcare;
• working hours; or
• income (increase or decrease).

HMRC is urging customers to be careful if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information, with fraudsters said to be calling, texting or emailing customers claiming to be from HMRC in increasing numbers.