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What were your usual working hours before being off work?

Your usual working hours were the hours you worked every week before you went on leave. To get Working Tax Credit, you must normally be over the age of 25 and work at least 30 hours a week. But you only need to work 16 hours or more a week if you or your partner:

• are aged at least 16 and are responsible for a child or young person
• are aged at least 16 and you qualify for an extra payment of tax credits because you have a disability
• are over 50 and going back to work after being on out-of-work benefits (such as Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance) for at least six months

You should expect your paid work to continue for at least four weeks.

• How to work out usual working hours for your tax credits claim

If you've been laid off

If your employer has no work for you and has laid you off, you can usually carry on getting tax credits for between four to eight weeks.

How long you can carry on getting tax credits for depends on whether:

• your lay off is temporary
• you've been laid off until further notice
• you lose your job whilst you're laid off

• You've been laid off from work - how it affects tax credits

If you're on strike

For the first ten days that you're on strike you're still treated as being in work and will get tax credits.

If you're on strike for more than ten days, you must let the Tax Credit Office know within a month as you won't be able to get tax credits.

You can't make a new claim for tax credits until you have gone back to work.

If you're suspended from work

If you're suspended from work while complaints or claims against you are looked into, you can get tax credits provided you worked at least 16 or 30 hours a week immediately before the suspension.

Gaps between jobs

If you're between jobs for six days or less, your tax credit payments will continue as long as you work for 16 hours or more a week.

If you reduce your weekly working hours to less than 16 or you stop work altogether, you will only be paid tax credits for a further four weeks from the date of the change.

Other types of leave

Sick leave

If you can't work due to sickness or incapacity, you may still be able to get tax credits.

• Tax credits when you can't work due to illness

Maternity, paternity and adoption leave

If you're on maternity leave, you may get tax credits for the first 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and the first 13 weeks of any additional maternity leave - a total of 39 weeks.

If you're on paternity leave, you may get tax credits for the two weeks of paid leave.

If you're on adoption leave, you may get tax credits for the first 26 weeks of ordinary adoption leave and the first 13 weeks of any additional adoption leave - a total of 39 weeks.

• Maternity, paternity and adoption leave and tax credits

Contact the Tax Credit Office

If you need more help you can call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900, or textphone 0845 300 3909 if you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment (open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day).

If you're calling from overseas you can also contact the Tax Credit Office on +44 289 053 8192.

More useful links

• Tax credits: how and when to report changes

• Changes in income and tax credits

• Find out how work can help you qualify for tax credits