HMRC warns it could 'stop' people's payments over 'relationship status'

730,000 Tax Credits customers have started receiving their annual renewal notices from HMRC. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said claimants will receive them between 2 May and 19 June 2024 as it reaches out to those who it affects.

Notices with a black stripe are automatically renewed while claimants receiving a notice with a red stripe need to renew. Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, 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.” Customers must report certain life changes which could affect their claim to HMRC. These include relationship changes, such as moving in with a new partner, getting married or divorced and children leaving home as well as a change in working hours.

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They can find out more about what changes need to be reported and how to do so online at the HMRC website. If customers fail to renew by the deadline, they risk their payments being stopped and having to repay any overpayments. The 2024 to 2025 tax credits notices may show predicted payments for the tax year 2025 to 2026.

These are automatically generated and should be disregarded. Tax credits are ending on 5 April 2025 and are being replaced by Universal Credit. There is information about this at the HMRC website, the government department has also explained.

HMRC has also warned criminals use deadlines to trick people who might be expecting to hear from HMRC into sharing their banking or other details. If a phone call, text or email is unexpected, don’t give out private information or reply, and don’t download attachments or click on links, it said.

Suspicious contact can be reported online.