Tax Credits: Passported benefits

Passported benefits cover a wide variety of benefits and entitlements that claimants may be entitled to when they are awarded tax credits.

Passported benefits cover a wide variety of benefits and entitlements that claimants may be entitled to when they are awarded tax credits. The passporting system is complex and each passported benefit has a different criteria and income threshold. Below we have provided a list of the main passported benefits along with links to further information.

One point of note about the income thresholds quoted in the table. Income for tax credits purposes is not necessarily the same as household income for a particular tax year. Income for tax credit purposes normally refers to the income figure used to calculate any award once the disregard has been taken into account.

The various passported benefits are different in each part of the UK - we have tried to reflect this in the table below but it is important that people check in their area for their latest rules.

Benefit /
entitlement

Basic TC
criteria

More
information

Sure Start
Maternity
Grant

CTC where the award includes an individual or disability element

This is a £500 payment from the social fund to help with the costs of a new baby.

 

See also -

WTC including the disability or severe disability element

Help with
health costs

CTC with or without WTC and household income for tax credits purposes of £15,276 or less; or

Claimants can get free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, wigs, fabric supports, eye tests, vouchers towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses and help with cost of travel for NHS treatment or referral by a doctor or dentist.

 

See also -

WTC only including the disability or severe disability element and household income for tax credits purposes of £15,276 or less.

Best Start Foods (Scotland only)

CTC (with or without WTC) (certain conditions may apply

See also

Best Start Grant (Scotland only) CTC and /or WTC

See also

Healthy Start

CTC only (no WTC unless received during the four week-run period only) and household income for tax credits purposes of £16,190 or less.

Healthy start offers free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, infant formula and vitamins to qualifying families.

Claimants must be receiving CTC only and not WTC. However, WTC paid during the four week run-on period does not count as WTC for this purpose.

 

See also -

Free School
Meals

England and Wales - CTC only (no WTC unless it is paid in the four week run-on) and household income for tax credits purposes of £16,190 or less. Local arrangements may also apply.

See also

Scotland - CTC only (not WTC unless it is paid in the four week run-on) and household income for tax credits purposes of £17,005 or less;  or CTC and WTC and household income up to £7,920.

Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland - children in full time education whose parents receive WTC or CTC and have household income for tax credits purposes of £16,190 or less.

Help with
funeral
expenses

CTC

This is a payment from the social fund to help with funeral expenses.

 

See also -

WTC including the disability or severe disability element

Funeral Support Payment (Scotland)

CTC or WTC including the disability or severe disability element

Help with
court fees

Low income

For more details see the guide to applying for help with fees on the GOV.UK website.

Help with
the costs
of prison
visits

 

Some tax credit claimants may be able to get help with the costs of prison visits.


See also -

Last reviewed/updated 4 May 2023