college ?? do i still get benefits for my son

kurjam

my son wants to start college in september next year, it will be a full time course mon to friday, if he stays living at home will i still get tax credits and child benefit for him ??

and what about if he moves out and lives in the colleges hall of residence ? as it is a few miles away ...

any advice on what help my son or us as parents can get, would be much appreciated...

dmg24

How old is your son? What level of course is he doing?

Charis

From the CAB website http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/benefits_for_families_and_children.htm#child_tax_credit

If your son is doing a full time non-advanced course, like A levels, you will still qualify, provided he is under 19 when he starts the course. You will have to notify the Child Tax Credit people. My son goes to 6th form college in September. I sent them a letter but they still needed me to fill in a form. If he is your only/last child, you may notice that the Child Tax Credit allowance for him ends abruptly in August of the year he would normally take his GCSEs.

He may also qualify for Education Maintenance Allowance (up to £30 a week, paid to him for attending all lessons). The college should give him a form to apply. AFAIK Colleges that offer non-advanced courses do not have halls of residence. Universities offer halls of residence for students on advanced courses.

kurjam

dmg24 wrote: »

How old is your son? What level of course is he doing?

my son will be 16 in june next year, and he is planning to do a full time nvq1 catering course, and hopefully he wants to do the chef course after that...

kurjam

Charis wrote: »

From the CAB website http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits/benefits_for_families_and_children.htm#child_tax_credit

If your son is doing a full time non-advanced course, like A levels, you will still qualify, provided he is under 19 when he starts the course. You will have to notify the Child Tax Credit people. My son goes to 6th form college in September. I sent them a letter but they still needed me to fill in a form. If he is your only/last child, you may notice that the Child Tax Credit allowance for him ends abruptly in August of the year he would normally take his GCSEs.

He may also qualify for Education Maintenance Allowance (up to £30 a week, paid to him for attending all lessons). The college should give him a form to apply. AFAIK Colleges that offer non-advanced courses do not have halls of residence. Universities offer halls of residence for students on advanced courses.

the college he needs to go to does have a hall of residence !!

John38_2

kurjam wrote: »

my son will be 16 in june next year, and he is planning to do a full time nvq1 catering course, and hopefully he wants to do the chef course after that...

So he'll be 15 when he starts the course?

In that case, he'll still be of 'statutory school age' until Friday 26th June 2009. He either HAS to go to college, or HAS to return to school. I'm guessing he's a bright lad and has jumped a year at some point?

You'll automatically get Child Benefit and CTC until he's finished he first year at college. If he starts a 2nd year in full time education, then that will be classed as 'further education' and the HMRC will usually automatically send you a form to fill in asking whether he is staying on etc.

He won't be eligible for EMA until his 2nd year as he is under 16.

____

If 16 was a typo and he is in fact 17 in June, then he's eligible to EMA presuming you earn less than £30k PA as a household.

The course you mention is 'full time non advanced education' which means you'll still get CB and CTC for him. As I said, you'll probably have already been sent a form from HMRC for this.

I don't know many further education colleges tha provide sleeping facilities though!!

If he stays in non advanced full time education, you could get CB and CTC until he turns 20.

Hope that helps.

kurjam

this college as a hall of residence as we went to visit, the college is part of the university we have in the city....

kurjam

so if he gets ema, can i still get tax credits and child benefit for him ?
what if he moves into the halls of residence, will tc and cb stop for him ??
thank you

Scousebird_2

As soon as he leaves the household, he is no longer a dependent child and therefore you are not entitled to any benefits for him so Child Benefit will cease.

John38_2

Scousebird wrote: »

As soon as he leaves the household, he is no longer a dependent child and therefore you are not entitled to any benefits for him so Child Benefit will cease.

Not true.

A child attending a Boarding School or suchlike would still be technically classed as living at home and dependent on parents.

Could the OP clarify where the son will be staying at weekends? Who pays for the food and drinks? Who pays for any uniform/books or equipment? And who'd take him home if he were to fall ill?

kurjam

he would spend some weekends at home, we would pay for books, equipment etc...