Tax Credits

Child Tax Credit stops on the 31 August or after your child's 16th birthday but can continue for children under the age of 20 who are in approved education, training or registered with a careers service.

What you need to do

• You must tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if your child:
• turns 16 and stays in approved education or training
• starts or leaves approved education or training
• joins or leaves a careers service
• starts getting benefits themselves, for example Universal Credit
• gets married, forms a civil partnership or starts to live with a partner
• leaves approved education or training and starts working in a job where they’re paid 24 or more hours a week

You must also tell HMRC if your child:

• turns 18 and stays in approved education or training
• turns 19 and stays in approved education or training

It's important you tell HMRC what your child intends to do as soon as possible to make sure you get paid the right amount of tax credit. You can contact Tax Credits online or call 0300 200 3100.

What is approved education?

If your child is staying in education, it must be full-time (more than an average of 12 hours a week supervised study or course-related work experience) and can include:

• A levels or similar, for example Pre-U, International Baccalaureate.
• T levels
• Scottish Highers.
• NVQs and other vocational qualifications up to level 3.
• Home education - if it started before your child turned 16 or after 16 if they have special needs
• Traineeships in England

Courses are not approved if paid for by an employer or ‘advanced’, for example a university degree or BTEC Higher National Certificate.

Your child must be accepted onto the course before they turn 19.

You can find out more about approved education at gov.uk.

Careers Service

You can get tax credit for 20 weeks if your child leaves education or training before they’re 18 and:

• registers with their local careers service, Connexions or local authority support service (or the Education and Library Board in Northern Ireland or similar careers organisation in the European Economic Area, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland or Liechtenstein)
• joins the Armed Forces

Your child must be 16 or 17, work less than 24 hours a week and not get certain benefits (for example Income Support).

Important: please note that Tax Credits are ending

As part of the Government’s plan to move everyone of working age currently on Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits and Income Support over to Universal Credit (UC) by the end of 2024 (known as UC Migration), Tax credits will be ending.

• It is important to complete your Tax Credit renewal before making the change to UC
• You will soon receive your UC Migration Notice Letter from the Government (from April 2023)
• When you get your UC migration letter you will have three months to act on it
• SEEK ADVICE - Get advice so you know what is best for you.

Find out more about UC Migration and getting support.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit stops on the 31 August or after your child's 16th birthday but can continue if they go into approved education or training.

You'll have received a letter about this, together with a form to complete. If you haven't already done so, you should return this form as soon as possible.

Alternatively, you can report this online or you can call the Child Benefit Office on 0300 200 3100. Even if your child is leaving education, you must let the Child Benefit Office know.

Struggling to pay your rent?

If you are experiencing financial pressures and are struggling to pay your rent, please get in touch as soon as possible, as it's better to let us know now. We will work with you to find a solution that suits your circumstances and helps you keep on top of your rent payments, including:

• Affordable repayment plans
• Specialist advice on claiming benefits
• Advice to help you maximise your income and manage debt

Find out about support available from our dedicated teams here.

Help with claims

If you need help with making a benefits application contact Torus Foundation on 0300 123 5809 or email info@torusfoundation.org.uk.

Keeping on top of your payments with Direct Debit

Most customers pay rent by Direct Debit because it’s straightforward, secure and means you never fall behind in your payments. Direct Debits can even be set up to go out weekly, fortnightly or by calendar month, depending on what suits you best.

Click here to find out more or set up a Direct Debit.