Child Benefit and Tax Credits

• Child Benefit is payable to everyone in the UK bringing up a child, provided you meet the eligibility rules.
• It is not affected by income or savings.
• For more detail and information about how to apply see the related website links.
• You can apply online.

Child Tax Credit (CTC)

• Child Tax Credit is the main form of financial support from the Government if you’re bringing up children while you are a student.
• You don’t have to be working to claim CTC. 
• If you have a child under one or a child with a disability you may receive more CTC. 
• CTC is means-tested so how much you receive will depend on you and your partner’s income, if you have one, in the tax year.
• Most student income, including the student loan, is disregarded except for some grants and allowances for dependants. This is different from means-tested welfare benefits. 
• Getting CTC may entitle you to other help. This may vary depending where you live in the UK. 

Working Tax Credit (WTC)

• WTC is paid to people in work if they are on low wages. 
• WTC is means-tested so how much you receive will depend on you and your partner’s income, if you have one, in the tax year.
• Most student income, including the student loan, is disregarded, except for some grants and allowances for dependants.
• This is different from means-tested welfare benefits.
• Students and partners of students can claim but either you, or your partner, must meet certain conditions:-

Work at least 16 hours per week and have a dependant child or

Have a disability and work 16 hours or more per week or

Be aged over 25 and working at least 30 hours per week.
 

• From the time that you claim WTC the paid work you do must be expected to continue for at least four weeks.
• As a medical student you’ll probably not be able to work as much as 16 hours a week, and certainly not 30 hours a week, during term time.
• But if you do fall into one of the categories of people who can claim and you work the required number of hours for at least four weeks  you may be able to claim during the summer vacation at least.
• Getting WTC may entitle you to other help. This may vary depending where you live in the UK. 

Childcare Element of WTC

WTC can help meet up to 80% of registered or approved childcare costs if you have dependant children. To be eligible to apply for the childcare element you must be either:-

• A lone parent working at least 16 hours a week.
• Couples where both partners work at least 16 hours each a week. Unfortunately being a fulltime medical student does not count as being in full-time work.
• Couples where one partner is working at least 16 hours a week and the  other partner is either incapacitated, in hospital or in prison.

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland you have the choice of whether to take the Childcare Grant/ Childcare Allowance through your student
funding package or the WTC Childcare Element but you can’t claim both. The Childcare Grant/Allowance pays a higher percentage of the costs, 85% as opposed to 80%.

For more detailed information about Tax Credits and how to apply see the related website links.