Child Tax Credit
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1. Overview
Tax credits end on 5 April 2025. No more payments will be made after that. You鈥檒l be if you are eligible for Universal Credit or Pension Credit instead.
You can only make a claim for Child Tax Credit if you already get Working Tax Credit.
If you cannot apply for Child Tax Credit, you can apply for Universal Credit instead.
You might be able to apply for Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over.
What you鈥檒l get
The amount you can get depends on how many children you鈥檝e got and whether you鈥檙e:
Child Tax Credit will not affect your Child Benefit.
You can only claim Child Tax Credit for children you鈥檙e responsible for.
2. If you're making a new claim
You can only make a claim for Child Tax Credit if you already get Working Tax Credit.
You can only claim Child Tax Credit for children you鈥檙e responsible for.
What you鈥檒l get
The amount you could get depends on when your children were born.
If all your children were born before 6 April 2017
You could get the 鈥榗hild element鈥� of Child Tax Credit for all of your children.
You鈥檒l also get the basic amount, known as the 鈥榝amily element鈥�.
If one or more of your children were born on or after 6 April 2017
You could get the child element of Child Tax Credit for up to 2 children. You might get the child element for more children if exceptions apply.
You鈥檒l only get the family element if at least one of your children was born before 6 April 2017.
Child Tax Credit rates for the 2024 to 2025 tax year
| Element | Yearly amount |
|---|---|
| The basic amount (this is known as 鈥榯he family element鈥�) | Up to 拢545 |
| For each child (this is known as 鈥榯he child element鈥�) | Up to 拢3,455 |
| For each disabled child | Up to 拢4,170 (on top of the child element) |
| For each severely disabled child | Up to 拢1,680 (on top of the child element and the disabled child element) |
Moving to the UK from the EEA
You must wait 3 months before claiming Child Tax Credit if you arrived in the UK from the EEA on or after 1 July 2014 and do not work.
There are some exceptions who will not have to wait 3 months, for example refugees.
3. You're already claiming Child Tax Credit
How much Child Tax Credit you get depends on your circumstances.
You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if your circumstances change.
If your claim started before 6 April 2017
You get:
- the basic amount of Child Tax Credit (known as the 鈥榝amily element鈥�)
- the 鈥榗hild element鈥� for children born before 6 April 2017
If you have another child on or after 6 April 2017, you鈥檒l usually only get the child element for them if they鈥檙e the second child you鈥檙e claiming for.
You might get the child element for more children if exceptions apply.
If your claim started on or after 6 April 2017
You get the child element for up to 2 children. You might get the child element for more children if exceptions apply.
You only get the family element if at least one of your children was born before 6 April 2017.
If all your children were born before 6 April 2017
You get the child element for all your children. You also get the basic amount (known as the family element).
Child Tax Credit rates for the 2024 to 2025 tax year
| Element | Yearly amount |
|---|---|
| The basic amount (this is known as 鈥榯he family element鈥�) | Up to 拢545 |
| For each child (this is known as 鈥榯he child element鈥�) | Up to 拢3,455 |
| For each disabled child | Up to 拢4,170 (on top of the child element) |
| For each severely disabled child | Up to 拢1,680 (on top of the child element and the disabled child element) |
To find out how changes to your income or circumstances might affect your tax credits, contact HMRC.
4. How you're paid
All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account (a bank account, for example) of the person mainly responsible for the child.
You鈥檙e paid every week or every 4 weeks from the date of your claim up to the end of the tax year (5 April), unless your circumstances change.
5. How to claim
Tax credits end on 5 April 2025. No more payments will be made after that. You鈥檒l be if you are eligible for Universal Credit or Pension Credit instead.
You can only make a claim for Child Tax Credit if you already get Working Tax Credit.
If you get Working Tax Credit
To claim Child Tax Credit, update your existing tax credit claim.
Update your claim by reporting a change in your circumstances.
If you do not get Working Tax Credit
You cannot apply for Child Tax Credit.
You can apply for Universal Credit instead.
You might be able to apply for Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over.
6. Responsibility for a child
You can only claim Child Tax Credit for children you鈥檙e responsible for.
You鈥檙e usually responsible for a child if:
- they live with you all the time
- they normally live with you and you鈥檙e the main carer
- they keep their toys and clothes at your home
- you pay for their meals and give them pocket money
- they live in an EEA country or Switzerland but are financially dependent on you
Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if you鈥檙e not sure you鈥檙e responsible for the child.
If you share responsibility for a child and you cannot agree who should claim you can both apply. HMRC will decide for you.
If you adopted or fostered a child
You can claim for an adopted or fostered child if you鈥檙e not getting money from your local council (Health and Social Services Board in Northern Ireland). If you do get money, contact HMRC to find out if you can claim.
If you鈥檙e responsible for a disabled child
You may get extra Child Tax Credit if your child either:
- gets Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment
- is certified blind (or was within 28 weeks of your tax credits claim)
You still qualify if Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment stops because the child goes into hospital.