Can you claim if you don't work 16 hours a week?

If you're a lone parent

If you're a single parent you must work 16 hours or more a week to claim help with childcare costs.

If you're part of a couple

Generally you and your partner must both work 16 hours or more a week to claim help. Only one of you has to work 16 hours or more if one of you is:

• ill or disabled and claiming disability benefits
• in hospital
• in prison - serving a custodial sentence or remanded in custody awaiting trial or sentence

If you're on maternity, paternity or adoption leave

You can claim help with childcare costs if you're on maternity or adoption leave for 39 weeks or less and you were working 16 hours or more before going on leave.

If you don't return to work after 39 weeks you won't qualify any more. It's important you let HMRC know if you don't go back to work after 39 weeks.

You can also claim help with childcare costs for the two weeks you are on paternity leave.

If you're off sick

You can claim help with childcare costs if you're off sick for 28 weeks or less. But you must have been working for at least 16 hours a week before you went off. If you don't return to work after 28 weeks you won't qualify any more. It's important you let HMRC know if you don't go back to work after 28 weeks.