Child tax credit - what and how?!

[Newlyseparating]

I am in the process of separating from my husband, and a friend has told me that I might be entitled to child tax credit. I hadn't even heard of it, so am a bit baffled. I looked at the child tax credit website, but am none the wiser really. Could anyone give me a basic idea of what it is and who's entitled to it?!

Child tax credits are dependent upon your income, it is a benefit paid to families with children on low incomes. The thresholds go up with each child. Working tax credits are a top up benefit paid to people on very low incomes, and also if you pay for childcare you can claim the childcare element of working tax credits to help with childcare. For working tax credits you need to meet the criteria for hours worked, for child tax credits you can claim them even if you don't work.