Tax credits customers have a month to renew their claim or risk having their payments stopped, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has warned.
The annual deadline is July 31 and more than 300,000 customers who received a renewal pack with a red line across the first page and the words ‘reply now’ still need to confirm their circumstances for the current tax year to continue receiving payments.
Circumstances that could affect tax credits payments include changes to living arrangements, childcare, working hours or a change in income. The quickest and easiest way for customers to renew their tax credits is digitally via GOV.UK or the HMRC app.
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HMRC’s Director-General for Customer Services, Myrtle Lloyd, said: "Please act now to meet the 31 July deadline for renewing your tax credits or your payments could stop. There is no need to call us, it is quick and easy to renew via GOV.UK or the HMRC app. For details on how to renew, search ‘manage my tax credits’ on GOV.UK."
HMRC sent out two types of renewal packs to 1.5 million customers between May 2 and June 15. These were:
- 'Reply now' packs had a red line across the first page and the words ‘reply now’. Customers must confirm their circumstances to renew their tax credits
- 'Check now' packs had a black line across the first page and the words ‘check now.’ Customers whose details are correct do not need to do anything and their tax credits will be automatically renewed.
