18 year old kid has left school in middle of term - child benefit?

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello Golden Anemone,

I would make an appointment and go with your son to connexions.
They will know of all the college courses, and training schemes in the area.

My son started a course in ICT and Business Studies, and it was the biggest failure ever. I think he hid till I was out of sight and then he bunked off.
College ran a scheme called a 'roll on,roll off'. Where students could start and finish at any time. The scheme covered painting and decorating, diy, plastering, brickwork, groundwork and electrics. From there students could then choose a full time course.
It was the perfect way of helping my son to find out what he did want, and it was as far away from his original choices as you could get.

Your son needs to realise that he has a responsibility to the family.
The work situation out there is not a place for someone with few qualifications that has dropped out. Like it or not, by attending college or a training scheme, he is financially contributing. Plus, he gets his EMA to do as he likes.

The other thing may be, that ctc is calculated over a year. It may be that you have already been overpaid.

Good luck, be tough,

Regards
Munchie

Golden_Anemone

Thanks so much everyone for your advice and support, I was a bit taken aback by the first response I got and it's good to know that's not the norm on here. :A

I'm in Northern Ireland where we don't have a single householder discount on our Rates so at least there will be no shock there then.

I will have to get tough on him as I've a 16 year old who will be watching proceedings very carefully to see just how much he's likely to get away with in his turn!

[Deleted User]

horseykitty wrote: »

You need to tell them straight away - you don't want to have to repay allowances. When my son left college after finishing his A levels in June he wasn't allowed to receive Job Seekers Allowance until 4/9/08 as they said he was classed as not being available for work or some such rubbish to diddle him out of money. He didn't get the grades he wanted to go to uni so he's having to go to nightschool to improve his grades. It is no fun for him on JSA and there doesn't appear to any work out there, despite him looking and at this rate he won't be able to save up to go to uni anyway.
I sympathize with you - his tutor at college was useless and I didn't find out he had dropped one of his 'A' levels until results day - luckily with my next son I am wiser and he has a great tutor who is keeping a tight rein on him.

He wouldnt have been allowed benefits as family allowance would have been paid till the last monday in august,I appreciate that the job situation is tough but has he tried places like mcdonalds or agencies?Why does he need to save for uni?he will get students loans and grants.

System

Golden Anemone try the following sites-
www.nijobs.com
http://www.nicsrecruitment.gov.uk/current_job_vacancies

my DD dropped out of uni in October in her second year. She had spent all of her ISA which was supposed to last her until the end of her degree, run up a huge overdraft, 1 years student loan and she still has to pay rent on her flat in Scotland until she gets someone to take it over.
We sat her down and told her work was her only option until she could come up with a better idea. She signed on and then applied for various jobs via those 2 sites, got accepted for 3 and is waiting to hear from the Civil Service. We made her take the first job that accepted her though she leaves that next week to start in the HMRC contact center in Belfast.
I don't think she has recovered from the shock of having to get up so early in the morning but tough love is what we have had to inflict to get through to her. All I can advise is don't let up, he might be an adult as somebozo says but he still needs to grow up . Also it's never too late to access education and he may chose to go back later in life.

Re your tax credits - if you still have ongoing entitlement due to working tax credit or other children then TCO will recover any overpayment from your award. If not then don't worry TCO will negotiate with you according to your income and expenditure.

HTH

space_rider

rammy007 wrote: »

I had a similar thing happen with my DD,its easy for someone to say concentrate on trying to help the child/adult instead of the money you have lost but when you rely on this money it is easier said than done.The thing when you get child benefit and CTC is before they get to school leaving age people need to thing how they are going to manage without this money.I increased my hours at work and now dont rely on them at all cos you get a nasty shock when they do.

I asked to increase my hours the summer before my daughter was due to leave college and go to university.

All my children had part time jobs within a few months of getting their National Insurance number. For me bank of mum stops for pocket money, clothes etc when they are able to work. I don`t mind providing a roof over their heads whilst they are in education but not for anything else. I realise though that things will be harder for 16-18 year olds as the jobs from retail are going to be few and far between.

hayley11

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone for your advice and support, I was a bit taken aback by the first response I got and it's good to know that's not the norm on here. :A

I'm in Northern Ireland where we don't have a single householder discount on our Rates so at least there will be no shock there then.

I will have to get tough on him as I've a 16 year old who will be watching proceedings very carefully to see just how much he's likely to get away with in his turn!

Yes the first response was totally unnecessary, luckily people like that are few and far between here, mostly you will just get a lot of help and support

I have recently stopped working and the benefits office told me that I would receive my tax credits for a month after the date I finished. So hopefully that will also apply to you too.

Good luck sorting your son out, my brother is 23 and granted he is disabled but he's only ever had one job in his life (which he left after getting run over) so I can appreciate it may be really hard to get him working if he doesn't want to.

Golden_Anemone

Thanks again everyone. Just to update you after speaking to the Child Benefit and Tax Credits helplines. Child Benefit continues until 2nd March but Tax Credits stops immediately.

System

Surely your tax credits should continue, albeit reduced, since you still have a 16year old and I assume they are still in education.

Golden_Anemone

Sorry Pam17, I should have said Tax Credits for the one who has left school stops immediately. I won't know until I get the revised award from them exactly what difference that will make. It could I suppose mean I have no further entitlement.

LizzieS_2

Golden_Anemone wrote: »

Sorry Pam17, I should have said Tax Credits for the one who has left school stops immediately. I won't know until I get the revised award from them exactly what difference that will make. It could I suppose mean I have no further entitlement.

As you were receiving credits for 2 children, it will go down by approx £40pw but not go below £10pw.

When CB ceases you will lose £20pw for the eldest, but the youngest will then get £20pw instead of £13pw.