tax credit question

[smirnoff861]

Hi
Im filling in my first ever tax credit form and am a bit confused. It asks for the amount we earnt last tax year which is fine. According to the tables that is too much to get tax credits which again is fine. But this year we earn a lot less as im on maternity pay so would be entitled to tax credits I think? So basically do we get nohing this year, then next year get tax credits based on our earnings this year, even though when i go back to work our wage will go up again but we would still be due credits as we will be paying childcare then and im not going back full time. Or am i just getting it all very confused and mixed up?
Thanks!

Fill in the form with your earnings from the last tax year. You will get a letter saying you're not entitled. You then need to ring them up and give them an estimate of your earnings for this tax year and they will recalculate your award. Once you go back to work ring them with your childcare costs and they will recalculate again

That's Brill thank you! I guess we have to fill in a form every year? So next year when we get our earnings for this year and they are a lot lower than next year would I then phone them again with a higher estimate?

What George said is spot on :-)