Tax credits

Pension credit is intended to make sure that no-one over the age of 60 has to live below a minimum income level.

What are tax credits?

There are two kinds of tax benefits you can apply for:

If you are responsible for at least one child, you can apply for child tax credit.
If you work more than 16 hours a week, you can apply for working tax credit.

Both these tax credit are means-tested, so whether you will receive them depends on the amount you earn. If you are in a couple, you will need to make a joint application.

Child tax credit

Child tax credit is paid for any children you are responsible for. You do not have to be working to claim, but you may not be eligible if you have a high income.

You will extra get extra child tax credit if your child is:

under the age of one,
disabled.

Working tax credit

You must work at least 16 hours a week to get working tax credit. You might be entitled to working tax credit if:

you or your partner are 16 or over and:
- are responsible for a child, or
- have a disability that makes it hard for you to get a job,
you or your partner are 25 or over and working more than 25 hours a week,
you are over 50 and have just started work. Prior to starting work you received benefits for at least six months because you were sick or disabled, and prior to that, you received carer's allowance, widowed parent's allowance or bereavement allowance for at least six months.

Visit the Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) website to find out if you are eligible for tax credits and to apply online.