Tax credits overpayments
Printable version
1. 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.
2. 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
3. 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
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647
for British Sign Language (BSL) users -
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 if you鈥檙e in Northern Ireland.
4. If you get Universal Credit
After you start getting Universal Credit you鈥檒l get a letter from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) telling you how much you owe. 皇冠体育app letter is called a 鈥楾C1131 (UC)鈥�.
皇冠体育app letter may come a few months after you鈥檝e moved to Universal Credit.
皇冠体育appre are different reasons why you might be overpaid tax credits. You can call HMRC if you want to know how they calculated your overpayment.
If you are already paying a 鈥榥otice to pay鈥�, keep making payments until you get the letter.
After you get the letter, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will reduce your Universal Credit payments until you pay back the money you owe. You do not have to do anything to set this up.
皇冠体育appre鈥檚 a different . You will repay the Department for Communities (DfC).
If you are repaying tax credits overpayments from different years, you may get more than one letter - you must repay each of these debts.
If you have questions about your Universal Credit payments
Contact DWP Debt Management if you want to check:
- how much Universal Credit you will get
- when your repayments will end
DWP Debt Management contact centre
Telephone: 0800 916 0647
Textphone: 0800 916 0651
(if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 916 0647
for British Sign Language (BSL) users -
Calling from abroad: +44 (0)161 904 1233
Monday to Friday, 8am to 7.30pm
Find out about call charges
If you cannot afford your repayments
Check what to do if you cannot afford your repayments.
If you have an existing payment plan
If you have a repayment plan for your tax credits debt (also known as a 鈥楾ime to Pay鈥� arrangement), it will end after you get the letter from HMRC. This applies whether the plan is with HMRC or an independent debt collector.
You must cancel any standing orders you鈥檝e set up to repay the debt. HMRC will cancel any Direct Debits.
If you claimed tax credits as a couple
皇冠体育app debt will be split in half between you. Each of you will receive a letter with details of your half of the debt. You must each pay your half.
Contact HMRC if you:
- think your share is wrong
- have separated from your partner - this may change the amount you have to repay
If you do not get Universal Credit any more
If you get the letter from HMRC after you鈥檝e stopped receiving Universal Credit, you鈥檒l be contacted by DWP Debt Management and told to use their repayment service. You can pay back the overpayment in full or set up regular monthly payments.
皇冠体育appre鈥檚 a different . You must repay the Department for Communities (DfC).
5. If you do not repay HMRC
If you get a 鈥榥otice to pay鈥� you must repay HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within 30 days. If you asked for more time to pay you should repay within the agreed time.
HMRC will take 鈥�enforcement action鈥� if you do not pay all the money you owe in the agreed time. For example, they might ask a debt collection agency to collect any remaining money.
Your debt may be passed to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if HMRC cannot get the money you owe. You鈥檒l get a letter called a 鈥楾C1131 (non-UC)鈥� when this happens.
Your debt will be passed to the if you鈥檙e in Northern Ireland.
You do not need to do anything - DWP or DfC will arrange the most suitable method of recovery with you. This might be by:
- reducing your other benefits
- agreeing a repayment plan with you
- asking your employer to take money from your earnings (鈥楧irect Earnings Attachment鈥�)
- asking a debt collection agency to collect the money
If you start getting Universal Credit
If you start getting Universal Credit before all your debt has been recovered, DWP will usually start to take repayments from your Universal Credit to collect the remaining money.