My child has decided not to go to college what benefits can I still claim?

mummytofour

Spendless wrote: »

I wouldn't. If my teen wanted to start at the bottom sweeping hair/flipping burgers and work their way up, I'd say good luck to them and I'd ask for an amount of their wages that was reasonable and that they could afford. No way would I say you have to make up my money or go back to college.

Nice, if you have the luxury of being able to afford that.
But a lot of people especially the OP dont really have that option. If your a family on IS/JSA and your teen leaves school you loose CTC of about £47 a week plus CB of £18 ( like any family would), you then have problems getting your full rent met and council tax as the teen is seen as an adult. When the family is on such a limited income a financial loss can not always be absorbed.

jpmummy

and if they are claiming "child maintenance" that would cease too. But I don't think losing out on money should be a reason to force someone to college.

SuziQ

I have worked it out at almost £300 per month loss now my daughter is off to Uni,in lost CB and CTC.Luckily I had made provision for it but it is a lot to lose.Most youngsters in their first job wouldn't be able to replace that amount from the low wages they are likely to start on.I agree that they should pay a proportion though,other wise when they do leave home it's a dreadful shock out there in the real world!

I also agree that it's pointless to force a child to attend college if it's not what they want to do.

Spendless

mummytofour wrote: »

Nice, if you have the luxury of being able to afford that.
But a lot of people especially the OP dont really have that option. If your a family on IS/JSA and your teen leaves school you loose CTC of about £47 a week plus CB of £18 ( like any family would), you then have problems getting your full rent met and council tax as the teen is seen as an adult. When the family is on such a limited income a financial loss can not always be absorbed.

But you should know from day 1 that this money is only available whilst you have a 'child'. What do you think people without kids do?

mummytofour

Spendless wrote: »

But you should know from day 1 that this money is only available whilst you have a 'child'. What do you think people without kids do?

Your bitter right??


This is about supporting an adult that you can not afford to support because you are on limited means yourself. As I have already said NOT everybody has the financial luxury of being able to a support a teen, if your on IS/JSA which stops as the teen in no longer in education where does the £300 a month come from to support them? The fairies???

The house you rent or own that you have had as your home for the last however long, you can not afford coz your teen left school??? BUT you still have the teen there, eating using the gas and hot water all the time, you cant rent out a room as its still occupied??

We would all love to make everything nice and easy for the teens BUT we cant always, for god sake I was married, mortgaged and a mother at 18, I would not wish it on my children BUT reality is cold.

If you cant afford to support a teen due to lack of funds what the F are you supposed to do??

Spendless

mummytofour wrote: »

Your bitter right?? about what? I have kids myself. I don't understand what you are getting at.


This is about supporting an adult that you can not afford to support because you are on limited means yourself. As I have already said NOT everybody has the financial luxury of being able to a support a teen, if your on IS/JSA which ABOUT stops as the teen in no longer in education where does the £300 a month come from to support them? The fairies??? You have to take that into account when raising them, that one day the money will be gone. Fair enough if you are plunged into totally different circs just before the teen leaves then I can sympathisise. Otherwise you need to making looking ahead steps

The house you rent or own that you have had as your home for the last however long, you can not afford coz your teen left school??? BUT you still have the teen there, eating using the gas and hot water all the time, you cant rent out a room as its still occupied?? As above, you need to think ahead.

We would all love to make everything nice and easy for the teens BUT we cant always, for god sake I was married, mortgaged and a mother at 18, I would not wish it on my children BUT reality is cold.

If you cant afford to support a teen due to lack of funds what the F are you supposed to do??

Get a job! A second job! If you are ill, seek to see if you can get IB, DLA.

Regardless of circs I would not say to my teen, sorry you can't work at the job you love cos it just doesn't pay as well as the benefits I'll lose.
What do you think will happen when the teen gets to an adult, they can't stay in further education forever, so you get child related benefits. One day they are going to stop.

mrcow

mummytofour wrote: »

If you cant afford to support a teen due to lack of funds what the F are you supposed to do??

You do what every one else does - get a job and earn some money to pay your way.

You can't force a child to stay in education against their wishes just because you want to carry on claiming money from the benefit support system

mummytofour

Spendless wrote: »

Get a job! A second job! If you are ill, seek to see if you can get IB, DLA.

Regardless of circs I would not say to my teen, sorry you can't work at the job you love cos it just doesn't pay as well as the benefits I'll lose.
What do you think will happen when the teen gets to an adult, they can't stay in further education forever, so you get child related benefits. One day they are going to stop.

GET A JOB! I have one thanks.

I still stand by what I said I do not think its fair for a teen to live for free if not in education.

hollydays

Hate to be cynical,are you sure he/shejust doesn't want to work part time. Apologies if i am wrong.

mummytofour

Atomised wrote: »

I think leaving education without even a GCSE is a silly thing to do but you can't ask your child to go to college so that your benefits aren't reduced. If she/he is working , they will pay you rent so how are you losing out?

What do you want people to say? "Have another baby" so you are guaranteed an "income" for another 16 odd years?

I totally agree with you well said!