9 August 2016

What to do if you missed the renewals deadline

The deadline for completing tax credit renewals was 31 July 2016. Claimants who missed the deadline, and who were required to reply, will have their payments stopped and any provisional payments they have received since 6 April 2016 will be classed as overpaid. Claimants will receive a 'statement of account' letter telling them that payments have been stopped. 

If the claimant contacts HMRC within 30 days of the date on the statement of account letter, HMRC can complete the renewal process and issue a decision for 2016/17 tax year meaning that payments can be restarted. The claim will still be paid from 6 April 2016. 

 Anyone who misses this 30 day deadline will only be able to have their tax credits re-instated where they can show HMRC they have good cause for their late renewal and they do so by 31 January 2017 at the very latest. 

Otherwise, claimants who still want to receive tax credits will need to make a fresh claim which can only be backdated up to the standard maximum period of 31 days and HMRC will expect them to re-pay any tax credits received since 6 April which are not covered by the fresh claim.

The tax credit digital service cannot accept late renewals. We recommend that claimants who have missed the deadline contact the tax credits helpline as soon as possible and no later than 30 days from the date on their statement of account letter.