Tax credits ended on 5 April 2025. No more payments will be made. You鈥檒l have been sent a letter if you are eligible for Universal Credit or Pension Credit instead. You may have been overpaid tax credits if:聽 there was a change in your circumstances - even if you reported the change on time you or HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) made a mistake you did not renew your tax credits on time聽 HMRC will write to tell you what you owe and how to repay the money. Call HMRC if you: think they made a mistake want to know how they calculated your overpayment If you get Universal Credit your tax credit overpayment will be repaid automatically. Your future payments will be reduced until you鈥檝e paid back the money you owe. If you have not made a claim for Universal Credit, you鈥檒l have to pay HMRC directly. 皇冠体育app money may be recovered from you in another way if you do not repay HMRC in time .

How to repay your tax credits

HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ) will send you a letter called a 鈥榥otice to pay鈥� to tell you what you owe and how to repay 鈥� you should pay this within 30 days. If you get Universal Credit your tax credit overpayment will be repaid automatically. Your future payments will be reduced until you鈥檝e paid back the money you owe. It鈥檚 your responsibility to make sure payments reach HMRC on time. Check your bank鈥檚 transaction limits and processing times. If you do not pay in time, the money you owe will be recovered from you in another way. Make payments by phone You can call the automated phone line to make a payment. You can make a full or part payment. If you make a part payment, you can call back another time to pay more. To make a payment, call 0345 302 1429 and press option 2, then option 1. When you call, you鈥檒l need to give: your 16-character payment reference number (it鈥檚 made up of numbers and letters and you鈥檒l find it on your notice to pay letter) how much you want to pay your bank card details Direct Debit You can call the helpline to set up a Direct Debit. You鈥檒l need your 16-character payment reference number. You鈥檒l find this on your notice to pay letter. It鈥檚 made up of numbers and letters. It takes up to 5 working days to set up. Payments appear on your statements as 鈥楬MRC NDDS鈥�. Make an online or telephone bank transfer You can make a bank transfer using Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs: from your online bank account by phoning your bank You鈥檒l need your 16-character payment reference when you pay. This is made up of numbers and letters, for example QQ123456311204NA. You can find this on your notice to pay letter. Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number. If you pay by CHAPS or Faster Payments, your payment will be received on the same or next working day. If you pay by Bacs, allow 3 working days for the payment to reach HMRC . Check your bank鈥檚 processing times and maximum transaction limits before you pay to make sure your payment reaches HMRC on time. Account details to use if your account is in the UK Use the following details to make a payment if your account is in the UK: sort code - 08 32 10 account number - 12001039 account name - HMRC Cumbernauld Account details to use if your account is overseas Use the following details to make a payment if your account is overseas: account number ( IBAN ) - GB62 BARC 2011 4770 2976 90 Business Identifier Code ( BIC ) - BARCGB22 account name - HMRC Cumbernauld You must make overseas payments in pound sterling. Your bank may charge you if you use any other currency. HMRC 鈥檚 bank address is: Barclays Bank PLC 1 Churchill Place London United Kingdom E14 5HP At your bank or building society You can only pay at your branch by cash or cheque if you have the paying-in slip HMRC sent you. Make your cheque payable to 鈥楬M Revenue and Customs only鈥�. Write your 16-character payment reference number on the back of the cheque. This is made up of numbers and letters, for example QQ123456311204NA. You can find this on your notice to pay letter. Your payment may be delayed if you use the wrong reference number. HMRC will accept your payment on the date you make it and not the date it reaches HMRC 鈥檚 account (as long as you pay from Monday to Friday). By cheque through the post You can send a cheque by post to HM Revenue and Customs ( HMRC ). Allow 3 working days for your payment to reach HMRC . HMRC Direct BX5 5BD You do not need to include a street name, city name or PO box with this address. Make your cheque payable to 鈥楬M Revenue and Customs only鈥�. Write your 16-character payment reference number on the back of the cheque. This is made up of numbers and letters, for example QQ123456311204NA. You can find this on your notice to pay letter. If you do not give the correct payment reference number or fill in your cheque properly, your payment may be delayed. Do not fold your cheque. Include a note with: your name, address and phone number your 16-character payment reference number how much you鈥檙e paying the period you鈥檙e paying for You can ask for a receipt if you want one. Get help and support Call the helpline if you: think HMRC made a mistake already have a repayment plan but you get another letter - you can adjust your existing plan or set up a new one

If you cannot afford your repayments

You can ask to repay what you owe over a longer period of time if you鈥檙e having financial difficulty. This will mean you pay less each week or month. You may be asked about: any savings and income you have - including benefits and pensions your living expenses - including rent, mortgage or childcare payments and household costs any other repayments you have to make - including loans, credit cards and utility bill repayments How you ask for your repayments to be reconsidered depends on whether you get Universal Credit or not. If you get Universal Credit Contact the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) Debt Management centre if you cannot afford your repayments. DWP Debt Management contact centre Telephone: 0800 916 0647 Textphone: 0800 916 0651 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647 Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users - check you can use the service Calling from abroad: +44 (0)161 904 1233 Monday to Friday, 8am to 7.30pm Find out about call charges If you do not get Universal Credit Call the tax credits payments helpline to ask HMRC to reconsider. If you鈥檝e received a 鈥楾C1131鈥� letter, this means your debt has passed to DWP . Call the DWP Debt Management contact centre to discuss your options. Call Department for Communities (DfC) Debt Management if you鈥檙e in Northern Ireland.

Tax credits overpayments: Overview

Tax credits overpayments

Overview

Tax credits ended on 5 April 2025. No more payments will be made. You鈥檒l have been if you are eligible for Universal Credit or Pension Credit instead.

You may have been overpaid tax credits if:聽

there was a change in your circumstances - even if you reported the change on time
you or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) made a mistake
you did not renew your tax credits on time聽

HMRC will write to tell you what you owe and how to repay the money. Call HMRC if you:

think they made a mistake
want to know how they calculated your overpayment

If you get Universal Credit your tax credit overpayment will be repaid automatically. Your future payments will be reduced until you鈥檝e paid back the money you owe.

If you have not made a claim for Universal Credit, you鈥檒l have to pay HMRC directly. 皇冠体育app money may be recovered from you in another way if you do not repay HMRC in time.

View a printable version of the whole guide

皇冠体育app

Tax credits overpayments

Overview

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK

皇冠体育app

Cookies on GOV.UK

Tax credits overpayments

Overview

Related content

Is this page useful?

Help us improve GOV.UK

Help us improve GOV.UK