Tax credits
The introduction of tax credits in 2003 marked a fundamental change to welfare rights provision. CPAG is providing advice and monitoring the impact of tax credits.

If you are in Scotland, see also the CPAG in Scotland Tax Credits Project page.

• Tax credits factsheets
• Publications
     Tax credits e-bulletin from CPAG (England and Wales)
     Tax credits e-bulletin from CPAG in Scotland
• Training courses and conferences
• Tax credits monitoring network
• Tax credits policy briefings
• Tax credits press releases
• Download CPAG's tax credits support for advisers leaflet (522KB PDF file)

Tax credits factsheets

•   1: Tax credits and childcare (updated April 2010)
•   2: Tax credits and complaints (updated April 2010)
•   3: Tax credits annual review (updated April 2010)
•   4: Tax credit checks (updated April 2008)
•   5: Tax credits for lone parents (April 2010)
  (formerly called Claiming for children: Moving on to child tax credit. Replaces factsheet 12: Child tax credit for benefit claimants)
•   6: Tax credits – the basics (updated April 2010)
•   7: Tax credits and self-employment (updated March 2008)
•   8: Tax credits – challenging decisions (updated January 2009)
• 10: Tax credits and judicial review (updated April 2010)
• 11: Tax credits – reporting changes of circumstances (updated April 2010)
• 2: Replaced by factsheet 5: Tax credits for lone parents (April 2010)
• 13: Tax credits: a passport to other help (updated April 2010)
• 14: Tax credits overpayments (updated April 2010)
• 15: Tax credits and penalties (September 2007)
• 16: Tax credits for disabled workers (updated April 2010)
• 17: Tax credits and foster carers (updated April 2009)
• 18: Tax credits and going back to work (updated April 2010)
• 19: Tax credits and flexible working (April 2010)
  (formerly called Tax credits for term-time and seasonal workers)
• 20: Tax credits for people from abroad (updated April 2010)

Tax credits publications

Benefits and tax credits poster 2009/20010
The latest annual edition of this colourful wallchart gives you easy access to this year’s benefit and tax credit rates.

April 2009 Published by CPAG/Citizens Advice £5.00

Order a printed copy
or
Download a 168 KB pdf version of the poster.

Welfare Benefits & Tax Credits Handbook 2009/2010
11th edition
The new Handbook gives you comprehensive coverage of all welfare benefits and tax credits. This fully revised and updated edition includes all you need to know about employment and support allowance (ESA), and the new tribunal rules. It also has the latest information on benefit and tax credit overpayments and the right to reside test.

There is full coverage of: income support; JSA and work tests; housing benefit; the social fund; ESA and the work capability assessment; pensions; benefits for maternity, paternity, adoption, disability, children, retirement etc. Also: administration; contributions and earnings; rules for special groups, including 16/17 year olds, students and people from abroad; backdating; overpayments; fraud; challenging decisions, including appeals.

Accessible and authoritative, the annual Handbook is fully indexed and cross-referenced to law, regulations and official guidance, and also to court and commissioners' decisions. Information is fully cross-referenced between the social security and tax systems.

Bimonthly updates to the Handbook are published in the Welfare Rights Bulletin.

April 2009 978 1 906076 35 1 £37.00
(£8.50 post free for individual benefit claimants – direct from CPAG)

Order a printed copy

Tax credits e-bulletin from CPAG (England and Wales)
You can read recent editions by following the links below, or sign up to the tax credits e-bulletin here. By subscribing you also become a member of the tax credits monitoring network. This is a network of advisers interested in providing feedback to CPAG on tax credits issues. Please note, we will not pass your details to anyone outside CPAG, and you can unsubscribe from the e-bulletin at any time.

• CPAG tax credits e-bulletin June 2010 (opens new page)
• CPAG tax credits e-bulletin May 2010 (opens new page)
  
• CPAG tax credits e-bulletin April 2010 (opens new page)
  

Tax credits e-bulletin from CPAG in Scotland
Follow this link to read recent editions of the Scotland e-bulletin

Tax credits training and conferences

• Child tax credit and working tax credit
• Calculating tax credits
• Tax credits: overpayments
• Tax credits: compliance and appeals
• Pension credit: an introduction
• Pension credit seminar
• CPAG in Scotland tax credits training courses

Tax credits monitoring network
This is a network of organisations interested in providing feedback to CPAG on tax credits issues as and when they arise. CPAG use the feedback to lobby for change to improve the system, to highlight good as well as bad practice, to inform policy work and to identify possible areas for research and test cases. CPAG will seek to raise areas of concern through liaison with relevant decision makers and in our policy responses. Find out how to join the network.

Tax credits policy briefings

Tax credits: improving delivery and choice – a discussion paper: Consultation response (82 KB PDF file)
This is CPAG's response to a Treasury consultation on reforming the tax credit system. It emphasises the key priorities of: improving childcare delivery (and separating it out from the other tax credit elements),and wider and faster rollout of HMRC's tax credit transformation programme. (September 2008)

Interact: benefits, tax credits and moving into work (841 KB PDF file)
This report explores how the tax, tax credit and social security systems interact together, and the effect this has on claimants and people who are moving into work. The research included interviews with claimants, also a modelling exercise designed to find out whether work "pays" in various circumstances. The report is published by CPAG with Community Links and the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group. (December 2007)

Tax Credits Adjournment Debate – Briefing for MPs 16.05.07 (68 KB Word file)
This briefing, written for an adjournment debate on tax credits, lays out some continuing concerns around the tax credit system with suggestions for further policy reform.

Letter on tax credit reform to Treasury Select Committee members 13.04.07 (86 KB PDF file)
This letter summarises some key issues CPAG remains concerned with in relation to tax credits and the implementation of reforms to the system.

"First Steps to Reform Tax Credits" briefing October 2005 (143 KB Word file)
In this briefing CPAG lays out six practical steps to improve the tax credit system to ensure that it works in favour of low income claimants.

Tax credits press releases

• CPAG wins appeal on overpayment recovery
  In a case brought by CPAG the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions cannot recover overpayments of social security benefits through the courts where the claimant is not at fault.
  14 October 2009
• Parliamentary report shows need for urgent action to improve tax credits
  CPAG responds to the publication of a Public Accounts Committee report.
  24 March 2009
• Tax credits – reforms must restore public confidence says CPAG
  CPAG responds to a report on the new tax credits system published by the Public Accounts Committee.
  25 April 2006
• Changes to tax credits welcomed by CPAG
  The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has welcomed changes to the way the tax credits system will operate, announced in the Chancellor’s Pre-Budget Report today.
  5 December 2005
• Action plan to improve tax credits sent to Ministers
  The tax credits system must be urgently reformed if public confidence in the system is to be restored. CPAG is today publishing its First Steps to Reform Tax Credits.
  12 October 2005
• Campaign group takes government to court over tax credit recovery
  CPAG today wrote to the Revenue threatening legal action unless they change the way they recover overpayments from tax credits claimants.
  16 September 2005
• Tax credits – children's charity urges repayment 'amnesty'
  Following publication of the Public Accounts Committee's report into the operation of the new tax credits system, CPAG has repeated its call for an amnesty where mistaken overpayments have been made and fraud is unproven.
• CPAG calls for a tax credit amnesty
  CPAG restates the urgent need for an amnesty of tax credit overpayments
  22 June 2005
• Tax credit overpayments hitting the poorest the hardest
  CPAG comments on two reports published by Citizens Advice and by the Parliamentary Ombudsman, both focusing on problems with the tax credit system
  22 June 2005
• Tax credit overpayments hitting the poorest the hardest
  Government figures released today show problems with the tax credits system continue
  1 June 2005
• CPAG response to Government announcement on tax credits
  CPAG welcomes the Government's recognition of the problems that many families have experienced with the tax credit system
  27 May 2005