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Summer 2004 Bulletin

Tax Credits

For clients submitting their own Tax Credit claims, this is a reminder that, if you have not yet sent in your renewal claim for 2004/05, you should now do so as soon as possible. This is important because, if the Tax Credit Office do not receive your claim by 30 September 2004, they will suspend payment of both Working and Child Tax Credit. (This does not apply to people claiming only the Family Element of Child Tax Credit – equivalent to the old tax allowance – who do not have to submit a new claim every year.)

Many people will have updated their Tax Credit claims by telephoning the Helpline with details of their income for 2003/04. Indeed, we recommended this, because it would stop any overpayment or underpayment building up. However, even if you telephoned the Helpline, your Tax Credit payments will be suspended if you do not submit the paper renewal claim by the end of September.

A final point to watch is that, even where an accountant has been expressly authorised to deal with Tax Credit claims on a client’s behalf, the Tax Credit Office still sends letters and forms direct to the client and does not send copies to the accountant. It follows that we only know what clients tell us, so if you receive any communication about your Tax Credit claim, which you want us to deal with, you must send it to us.

Pension Credit

Pension Credit – the income supplement for people aged 60 or more – was introduced in October 2003. We would like to remind clients that claims made by the end of September 2004 will be backdated to the launch of the scheme, but later claims will be backdated for one year only. Anyone who thinks he or she may be entitled should telephone the Pension Credit Application Line on 0800 99 1234.