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If your partner's not in the UK - and you have no children

If you've come to the UK and are working, your partner might have stayed behind in their own country. In this case, you'll normally just get paid Working Tax Credit as a single person.

If your partner joins you in the UK you'll need to let the Tax Credit Office know within one month. This is because your tax credits payments may change.

If you have a partner - and a child - outside the UK

If you're working, you'll normally just get paid Working Tax Credit as a single person.

Because you have a child, you may be able to get Child Tax Credit as well if:

• you work in the UK
• you have a right to reside in the UK
• you pay National Insurance contributions here
• your child lives in a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) or in Switzerland with your partner or someone else - and depend on you to support them

You can't claim for a child who lives outside the EEA or Switzerland. An exception to this is if your partner is a Crown servant posted abroad.

If your partner and child join you in the UK you'll need to let the Tax Credit Office know within one month. This is because your tax credits payments may change.

• Find out more about Crown Servants living outside of the UK and tax credits

If your child lives with your ex-partner outside the UK

If you're working, you'll normally just get paid Working Tax Credit as a single person.

You may also be able to get Child Tax Credit if:

• you work in the UK
• you have a right to reside in the UK
• you pay National Insurance contributions here
• your child lives with your ex-partner in an EEA country or in Switzerland, and they depend mainly on you to support them

The Tax Credit Office will check to make sure your child really does depend on you for money. They might check that you make regular payments for them. And they could check if your ex-partner works or gets their own family benefits, as this may affect the amount of tax credits you get.

Countries that are in the European Economic Area (EEA)

The countries in the EEA along with the UK are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Your partner gets benefits in another EEA country or Switzerland

If you've got children, and your partner gets benefits paid by another EEA country or Switzerland, these may affect your tax credits.

Some benefits are counted as income, for example benefits paid because of unemployment, but others - like family benefits - aren't. But if your partner does get family benefits paid by another EEA country, it may affect the amount of Child Tax Credit you are paid.

• How non-UK benefits affect tax credits

More useful links

• New arrivals to the UK - do you qualify for tax credits?

• Find out how to claim tax credits

• Tax credits calculator - find out how much you can get

• How your tax credits entitlement is worked out