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What happens once your claim is processed?

When your claim has been dealt with, you'll get either a letter explaining why you do not qualify for tax credits, or an award notice. You'll also get information about your rights of appeal.

The award notice tells you:

• that you qualify for tax credits
• if you'll get Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit or both
• how much money you'll receive
• what information the Tax Credit Office has used to work out your award
• when and how to contact the Tax Credit Office if your circumstances change

Make sure you keep your tax credits award notice in a safe place.

How long will you have to wait?

The Tax Credit Office aims to get back to you about your claim within three weeks of receiving it.

If you qualify for tax credits, your award notice will tell you the date of your first payment and when you'll get further payments.

You may get your first payment before you get your award notice. You must check your award notice once you get it, and tell the Tax Credit Office straight away if anything is wrong, missing or incomplete. You can do this by calling the Tax Credit Helpline.

If you make any mistakes or leave gaps on your claim form, the Tax Credit Office may have to contact you or make further enquiries. This can cause delays and may mean you wait longer for your first payment.

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

You've got financial difficulties and haven’t got your payment

If you haven't heard anything within three weeks, and can't meet essential living expenses like rent, gas or electricity bills, contact the Tax Credit Helpline.

They will be able to tell you what the latest is on your claim and whether there is any information they are still waiting for.

Changes to your claim

If after you have sent in your claim form you need to make a change you should tell the Tax Credit Office immediately. For example you might realise you've made a mistake, forgotten to report something or your circumstances change.

If they can, the Tax Credit Office will treat the information you give as part of your original claim.

You can contact the Tax Credit Office by calling the Tax Credit Helpline.

• Contact details for the Tax Credit Helpline

More useful links

• How to avoid common mistakes on your tax credits claim form

• Putting mistakes right once you've sent in your tax credits claim

• How Child Benefit, tax credits and Guardian's Allowance are paid

• Checking your tax credits award notice

• Tax credits: changes you need to report and when

Useful contacts

• Tax Credit Helpline - contact details