HMRC warning with letters being sent to 730,000 homes from this week

Wayne Ankers

2 May 2024 at 6:56 am·2-min read

No caption — Embargoed to 0001 Friday January 15 File photo dated 27/01/15 of pound coins next to the HM Revenue & Customs logo. From hungry animals devouring tax forms to people claiming they are bad with paperwork, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed the worst excuses it has heard over the past year from people filing late tax returns. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday January 15, 2016. The "worst tax return excuses" list, which was released ahead of the deadline for filing tax returns online at the end of January, contains claims which were used in unsuccessful appeals against penalties imposed for late returns, HMRC said. See PA story MONEY Tax. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire -Credit:PA

HMRC has issued a warning with 730,000 households set to receive letters beginning this week regarding Tax Credit renewals.

The renewal notices will be dispatched between May 2 and June 19, 2024, and come in two types, with fewer than 10,000 households required to take action. Those who receive a renewal notice displaying a red line and the words "reply now" must renew their Tax Credits.

If recipients receive a pack showing a black line and the phrase "check now", they need only contact HMRC if there's been any change to their details. It is vital that Tax Credits are renewed by July 31 to avoid interruption of payments.

Renewals can be carried out online via GOV.UK or the HMRC app, via telephone on 0345 300 3900, or simply by posting the renewal pack back to HMRC, reports Plymouth Live.

HMRC Director General for Customer Services, Myrtle Lloyd, said: "Tax credits are valued by many families for their essential contribution to the monthly family budget, so to avoid payments being stopped please respond to HMRC by the 31 July deadline. For more information search 'manage my tax credits' on GOV.UK."

It is crucial to report any changes such as shifts in relationship status, children moving out, or alterations in working hours to HMRC. The current Tax Credits system will be replaced by Universal Credit from April 5, 2025.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be transferring individuals from the current tax credit system to Universal Credit. When it's your turn, you'll receive a "migration notice" in the post, providing a three-month deadline.

Failure to claim Universal Credit within this time frame will result in the cessation of your current benefits. An early transition is possible if you believe that moving to Universal Credit will be advantageous in the long run, as there's no option to revert to old tax credits once removal by the DWP is effected.

Should you find yourself receiving less following the transition compared to prior benefits, you may be eligible for monthly transition payments from the DWP. The implementation of "managed migration" intends to address any deficit created.

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