Tax credits if you have a baby
You can claim tax credits if you have a baby or get more money if youÂre already getting tax credits – you must apply to see exactly what you can get.
| Tax credit | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Child Tax Credit | Up to £3,295 per year |
| Tax credits for childcare while you work | Up to £122.50 a week (1 child) Up to £210 a week (2 or more children) You won’t get 100% of the costs |
| Working Tax Credit | Up to £1,940 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 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
To update a claim, just contact the Tax Credit Office – you don’t need to fill out a claim form.
When to claim
Tell the Tax Credit Office within 1 month of the birth so your claim can be backdated to the date of birth. If you don’t, your tax credits will only be backdated by 1 month from the date of your claim.
Example: baby born 1 September
You tell the Tax Credit Office 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.