WIREDGOV

The taxman wants to top up your wages

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 05 October 2009

Many people who are entitled to a cash increase in their income are missing out simply because they assume they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit (WTC), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said today.

HMRC has therefore set up an online calculator enabling anyone who thinks they might be eligible for WTC to quickly find out for sure whether they are likely to be entitled - and by how much.

The average amount of WTC unclaimed is £1,600 a year so some people will qualify for significantly more.

Working Tax Credit is payable to people who are in work and on a low income, and you don’t have to have children to qualify.

Many people who fail to claim are:

in the 50-plus age group,have experienced a fall in income.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Timms, said:

“Tax credits are already benefiting hundreds of thousands of families without children. We recognise that these are challenging times and Working Tax Credits are there to help.

“I would urge anyone who thinks they might be entitled to this money to go on-line and find out for sure.”

Anyone with queries about tax credits can check online at www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits or, to make a claim, call the Helpline on 0845 302 1415.

NAT 65.09

Notes to Editors

1. If you don’t have children, you can claim WTC if:

· you are aged 25 or over and work at least 30 hours a week;

· you are single, and earn up to around £13,000 a year. If you’re living with a partner, you could claim if together you earn up to just under £18,000 a year;

· you are disabled or over 50 and returning to work; you may also qualify even if your circumstances are different.

2. In 2007-08, £720m in total was paid out to claimants of WTC without children.

3. WTC is paid by HMRC directly to the person claiming.

4. Take-up for families with children is higher than for any previous system of income-related support and, through tax credits, people without children are, for the first time, entitled to income-related support.

5. Tax credit data is published under National Statistics and available from HM Revenue & Customs.

6. Take-up statistics are available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm

The tax credits questionnaire is available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/overview/quick-questionnaire.htm

Contacts:

NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk

HMRC Out of Hours
Phone: 07860 359544
NDS.HMRC@coi.gsi.gov.uk

Sara Gaines
Phone: 020 7147 0394
sara.gaines@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

Jonathan Hall
Phone: 020 7147 0052
jonathan.hall@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk