Help with tax credits form

[hayley223]

I am currently on maternity leave attempting to complete the tax credits form to see whether I might be entitled to any help with childcare costs when I return to work.
When I phoned to request the form the person on the phone informed me that because my household income has increased by £5000 this year then they would work out my entitlement based on this years entitlement.
When the forms arrived I noticed that they ask for last year's income figures, but there is no space to declare an increase in income and figures for this year.
Does anyone know how I declare this?

Also, I am due to return to work on Monday on annual leave (returning to full time work in January- which is when my daughter will be put into childcare). Does anyone know when I should send off the forms as obviously I will not start paying childcare until January so do not want them to start paying me before that if they shouldn't be.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

If you think you will only be entitled to help when you start paying childcare, then I would not send the form in until your baby starts Nursery as they can ask for receipts etc as proof of the amount you are paying. If you think you may be entitled to child tax credits now before you start paying childcare ( roughly if your household income is less than £26k if it's your first child) then apply now and then notify them again when you start paying for childcare.