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Why you might need proof you're getting tax credits

Sometimes the amount of tax credits you get is taken into account if you're claiming some other types of benefit.

You might have to give proof that you're getting tax credits if you wanted to claim benefits such as:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Benefit
• certain local council benefits - like a clothing grant, or free school meals

Some of the offices who pay these benefits may ask to see your tax credits award. This could be for proof of your income, or to show that you're entitled to tax credits.

What proof you might need

You might have to fill in a form if you're going to claim any other benefits or grants. Ask the organisation you're applying to for help with what you need to provide. For example, they might want:

• your tax credits award notice - remember to send in your latest award notice (but keep a copy) and ask for it back when your claim has been dealt with
• your tax credits reference number
• proof that you're still getting tax credits
• confirmation of the amount of tax credits you're getting

Where you can get proof

If you're already getting tax credits, your award notice will contain all the information that's needed including:

• proof that you're entitled to tax credits
• the amount of tax credits you get

If you've just made a tax credits claim you may not have got your award notice yet. But you should get this within 30 days of making your claim.

• When can you expect your first tax credits payment?

If you can't find - or don't have - an award notice

You can ask the Tax Credit Helpline for a copy of your award notice. You should tell them why you need it when you contact them.

The Tax Credit Office will send you one of the following:

• a 'copy notice' if the original was lost or damaged after you received it - it's exactly the same the original, including the original issue date
• a 'duplicate notice' if you didn't get the original - this is the same as the original, except the issue date is the date the duplicate was sent out
• an original notice if you were never sent an award notice in the first place

How long you should keep paperwork for

There's no rule for how long you should keep your tax credits paperwork - it's up to you. But it's a good idea to keep award notices and other important letters until you stop getting tax credits.

More useful links

• Checking your tax credits award notice

• How tax credits affect other benefits

• Finding your Child Benefit number or proving you qualify

Useful contacts

• Tax Credit Helpline - contact details