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If you're already getting tax credits

To claim for the new baby you should call the Tax Credit Helpline.

Once you've told them about your baby they'll send you a new award notice. This will have the full details of what you will be entitled to. Please check that your details are correct on the new award notice.

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

What will happen to your tax credits?

If you've already got children and get Child Tax Credit, you can claim Child Tax Credit for your new baby as well.

If this is your first baby, you'll be able to claim Child Tax Credit for the first time.

If you've had more than one baby - for example twins - you'll be able to claim Child Tax Credit for each baby.

If you're already getting Working Tax Credit, you can carry on claiming it while you're off work on maternity, paternity or adoption leave. But both of the following must apply:

• you were working the minimum number of hours for your circumstances immediately before your leave began - normally at least 30 hours a week if you don't already have children
• you're going back to work afterwards

• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave and tax credits

If you're claiming tax credits for the first time

You can claim Child Tax Credit for your new baby.

If you've had more than one baby - for example twins - you'll be able to claim Child Tax Credit for each baby.

If you start working after your baby's been born, or will go back to work, you could also get for Working Tax Credit. This could include an extra payment to help with any childcare costs for your new baby.

• Help with childcare costs - do you qualify for extra tax credits?

How to claim

You'll need to fill in a claim form. You can only get a claim form by calling the Tax Credit Helpline. They’ll also be able to give you an idea of how much you may be able to get.

It helps if you can give your Child Benefit number when you fill in your claim form. But if you haven't got a number yet you should still make your claim. You can let the Tax Credit Office have the number later by calling the Tax Credit Helpline. This might mean that they take a bit longer to deal with your claim.

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

• How to claim tax credits

• How to claim Child Benefit

How much can you get?

For a quick idea of how much you could get, you can use 'at a glance' entitlement tables. The tables are a rough guide to how much you could get for the current tax year - ending on 5 April 2013. Follow the link below that applies to your situation.

• You don't work but have children: entitlement table

• You work but also have children: entitlement tables

You can also use an online calculator to get a rough idea of how much you might be entitled to - it takes 10-15 minutes.

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

Keeping the Tax Credit Office up to date

You must let the Tax Credit Office know about any other changes that might affect your payments. For example if:

• a new partner moves in with you or you split up from your partner
• you're claiming Working Tax Credit and you don't go back to work after your maternity, paternity or adoption leave

If you don't report changes like this within a month the Tax Credit Office might pay you too much. They'll usually ask you to pay back any overpayments and they may also charge you a penalty.

You can report changes by calling the Tax Credit Helpline.

• Tax credits: changes you need to report and when

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

If your child has a baby

You might be claiming Child Tax Credit for a child under the age of 16 who has a baby. You can claim for your child and the new baby - as long as they both live with you.

If your child is over 16 and has a baby, they may claim Child Tax Credit themselves. But if they do, you won't be able to claim for them as well. Or, if they're both living with you, you may make a claim for both children instead.

• Your child has a child - who can claim Child Tax Credit?

More useful links

• When your tax credits claim can be backdated

• What counts as work for Working Tax Credit?

Useful contacts

• Tax Credit Helpline - contact details