Child tax credits - HELP !!!

[purplekitty]

Ive got a 12 week old baby and waited till the 11th week to send of his child benefit form and apply for child tax. The reason i did this is because we are really struggling financially, my husband works but I thought by waiting 3 months to apply i would get a nice lump sum just before christmas so I would be a little stress free. However, ive just read that you can only get backdated a month for child tax credits !!! If i had known this i would have claimed straight away and not have left it. Question is does anyone know if they would back date it to the day he was born (19.5.16) or would they definitely only go back a month. I was so relying on this back dated money for christmas. I feel physically sick.

 

[kirstybumx3]

Yes tax credits are backdated a month from the date of application I believe. They won't pay you from birth now x

 

[Pearls18]

It's only a month they will back date I'm afraid, they changed it a couple of years ago, I think it used to be 3 months but they changed it a while ago now. Maybe give them a call xx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

1mth but occasionally more if their fault

 

[LoraLoo]

I didn't know this either. Nellie is 7 weeks and I've not applied yet, I've not heard back from child benefit yet either.

 

[Teri7489]

Child benefit will be backdated for 12 weeks but child tax credits are just 4 weeks from the date they receive it