Working Tax Credit
You could be eligible for Working Tax Credit (WTC) if you or your partner are working enough hours a week and your income is low enough. You don't need to have children to qualify, but you must be living in the UK. If you are from abroad, you may have difficulty claiming WTC depending on your immigration status. It doesn't matter whether you are working for someone else or self-employed.
If you are not sure about your right to claim WTC because of your immigration status, you should consult an experienced adviser - for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau.
The number of hours a week you have to work to be able to get WTC depends on your circumstances. There are five different ways you can qualify:
- If you are 16 or over and you work 16 hours or more a week, you may get WTC if you are responsible for a child or young person
- If you are 16 or over and you work 16 hours or more a week, you may get WTC if you are disabled, and you get a qualifying benefit
- If you are 50 or over and you work 16 hours or more a week, you may get WTC if you were getting certain benefits for at least six months before you started work
- If you are 25 or over and you work 30 hours or more a week you may get WTC. In this case, you do not have to have a child in order to claim, but you do have to work enough hours
- If you work 16 hours or more a week and are aged 60 or over you may get WTC
- If you work less than 16 hours per week
If you work fewer than 16 hours a week, you may be able to claim Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance. However, if you have a partner who lives with you and works 24 hours a week or more, you will not be able to claim these benefits. Your partner may be able to claim WTC instead. This applies whether your partner is lesbian, gay or heterosexual and whether you are married, in a civil partnership or just living together.
You could also be entitled to some Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to help with the costs of rent and Council Tax. If you have children, you can claim Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit. You can get these benefits whether or not you do any work. You may also be able to get help such as free prescriptions, free school meals, help with the costs of a new baby or help with funeral costs, depending on the benefits or tax credits you get and your income.
Working Tax Credit for the Disabled
You can get Working Tax Credit if you are disabled provided:
- You work at least 16 hours a week and
- Your income is low enough and
- You get certain benefits because of your disability and For more information, click here
"People say it's not ambitious, but it is actually quite ambitious wanting to help people"
Prince William (1982-present) Duke of Cambridge