This article appeared in Homes & People Summer 2010

Make sure you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to!

What are tax credits?

Tax credits are payments from the government. If you're responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit.

However, you don’t have to have children to qualify for tax credit. If you work, but earn lower wages, you may qualify for Working Tax Credit.

Tax credits if you don’t have children

You may qualify if:

• you’re over 25 and work over 30 hours a week
• you’re over 50, have recently come back to work after a long period of unemployment and work over 16 hours a week

It doesn’t matter if you’re a couple or single and even if you’ve just started work in a well paid job, if you’ve had a period of unemployment or low wages, or a low gross annual salary figure for this or last financial year, you may still qualify.

Tax credits if you have children

• 9 out of 10 families with children are entitled to tax credits.
• If you have a household income of £50,000 per year or less you should qualify for tax credit.
• You may still qualify even if your income is over £50,000 but the amount will taper off.
  

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