The tax body is writing to 60,000 people
People have been warned to look for a HMRC letter as you could be owed cash. The tax department is writing to tens of thousands of former tax credit claimants who are due some cash.
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit ended in April 2025, as this has now been replaced by Universal Credit. The tax body confirmed it has written to some 22,000 former claimants so far and plans to write to another 38,000 people by the end of January 2026.
Fiona Peake, personal finance expert at Ocean Finance, said: “It’s a good time for anyone who previously received Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit to stay alert to post from HMRC. These letters could be worth hundreds of pounds.
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“Some people might be sceptical about receiving a letter referring to money owed from over ten years ago, and scammers are likely to try to copy these letters. Always double-check by visiting gov.uk or calling the official HMRC helpline directly rather than using any phone numbers or links that appear in texts or emails.”
She said it’s a good idea to make sure your details are up to date with HMRC, such as if you changed address recently. This way you can be sure you’ll get the letter when it’s sent out.
If you think you are owed some cash, Ms Peake explained some key steps to follow. She said: “If you think you might be owed a refund or missed benefit payment, the first step is to log in to your personal tax account on gov.uk.
“This shows any payments or credits linked to your National Insurance number. You can also call HMRC’s tax credit helpline to check if there’s an outstanding balance. Make sure you have your National Insurance number and old tax credit reference handy when you do.”
The finance expert issued a further warning to look out for scams. She said: “This is a rare instance where an unexpected letter from HMRC could bring some welcome news. But stay cautious. If you’re unsure whether something is genuine, double-check through official channels.
“Never share your bank details by text or email, and remember that HMRC will never ask for personal or payment details over social media or WhatsApp.”
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HMRC statement
Asked for a comment about the letters going out, a HMRC spokesperson said: “Tax credits customers have now migrated to Universal Credit. We’re currently reviewing historic accounts and writing to any customers we identify with unpaid tax credits, with instructions on how they can receive their payment.”
The group said that if it identifies any other customers who have previously unpaid tax credits, it will write to them to tell them they are due a payment. The letter will also explain how to claim the cash.
