Working Tax Credits: How Long Working Tax Credits Incapacity Benefit Can Be Received

You may be able to get working tax credits even in cases where either you or your partner is unable to work as a result of illness.  This would depend on your working hours before taking sick leave and the period for which you have been on leave.

Working Hours

Your working hours will be considered to be the number of hours you worked every week before having to go on sick leave.  In order to be eligible for the working tax credit you will need to be older than 25 years with a past history of 30 hours each week.

However 16 hours will still be acceptable if you care for children and either you or your partner is 16 years or older; if you are eligible for extra working tax credits due to having a disability; if you are over 60 years or if you are over 50 and will be resuming work once your out of work benefits are depleted.

Duration Off Work

If you have been on sick leave for 28 weeks or less you will be able to claim working tax credit as long as your former working hours were between 16 and 30 hours.  You will also be eligible if you worked for this length of time immediately before being taking leave and if you also receive a sickness or disability benefits.

The benefits in this case include statutory sick pay, incapacity benefit, income support due to the inability to work, employment and support allowance and so on.  You should however know that for your working tax credits how long working tax credit incapacity benefits have to be short term in order for this benefit to make you eligible.

If your leave is more than 28 weeks you could stop getting working tax credits even if you are still receiving other benefits.