Can you get tax credits with no other income

[Sososoworried]

My situation is that I am alone with 4 children, currently receiving income support as the youngest is under 5, and child tax credits, and housing benefit.
I have a chronic illness which means I am unable to work, but I don't think it will be viewed as 'bad enough' for any disability benefits, so I'm worried about what happens when I am taken off income support. I believe it is changing to when youngest child is 3, so soon.

Does anyone know if I could carry on just with the tax credits and housing benefit, or would I need to be claiming jobseekers/income support/ esa to open the the door for everything else?

Yes you can just claim tax credits and housing benefit. The changes are happening April 2017.
You should still apply for ESA though ( and pip) please get help with this if you need it.
I have a chronic illness and receive dla ( not ESA due to dh income) pm if you like I might be able to advise you on how best to claim.

When HB changes to Universal credit you will need to claim that . However the worst sanction they could apply would be to remove the " job seeker element " of UC. So you wouldn't be worse of than on HB by receiving UC and not complying with your job searching conditionality.

Yep, HB and CTC are all I get.

Ok that's good to hear, I've been scaring myself thinking about everything stopping and ending up homeless, my future feels so uncertain right now.

AndNow I don't think I've got it in me to fight and convince people I'm ill, it's cfs/me I have, so it's hard to 'prove'.

Soso please don't worry. I have fibromyalgia among other conditions. I understand what you mean about proving you are " disabled" Pip is much more favourable to conditions like fibro and me/cfs than dla. It is more sympathetic to fluctuating conditions.
I don't have any experience personally of a ESA but there is every chance (if you get a specialist organisation to help you) that you will be at least placed in the wrag group.
Benefits and work are a very useful website. It costs £20 a year join but they always offer discounts.