Benefits advice

crazyfrog339

Could do with a little advice here regarding benefits/tax credits ect.

I am disabled (get lower rate care & higher rate mobility)
My hubby works (40 hours wkly, £320 before deductions - no working tax credit)
I have 3 kids (17, 15 & 13 yrs, child tax credit for all three as eldest in FT education)
I claim maintenence through the CSA for the 15 yr old

OK, here's the dilemma....
The 15yr old is about to turn 16. He's landed himself an apprenticeship starting in September and i have been told that as he will only attend college 1 day a week my child benefit & child tax credit for him will stop and his maintenence payments will stop.

By my calculations this will leave my household income around £95 - £100 a week worse off and i will still have to provide the same basic essentials such as food, clothing, heating etc as i always have done. I appreciate that he will be paid £95 a week but much of this will be taken up by travel expenses to and from work, buying tools for the job (has to provide his own toolbox and tools) and suitable work clothing. He has said he will contribute to the household (bless him) but realisticly regardless of what he contributes we will still have to manage with a far lower income than we are currently!

Is there any other financial help available for parents of children that choose to go into an apprenticeship rather than education?

Oldernotwiser

Will you still be receiving maintenance for him?

McKneff

The op says in her post that the maintenance payments will stop.

Could the lads father not help out with the things he needs for college.

Cant think that you would get any more financial help from anywhere else.
and let him contribute to the household, its a good thing and will teach him some lifes lessons.
Good for him for offering.

What does the 17 year old do to help out financially.

crazyfrog339

McKneff wrote: »

Could the lads father not help out with the things he needs for college.

Not seen him in years, didn't want anything to do with his son which is why CSA sorted the maintenence payments so even if he wanted to come in on his white charger at this point i'd be telling him to get lost!

McKneff wrote: »

let him contribute to the household, its a good thing and will teach him some lifes lessons.
Good for him for offering.

I intend to allow him to make a small contribution as i agree it learns responsibility but i know he wont learn any lessons unless he also has some money for himself after he has contributed and met the other essential expenses he will have.

McKneff wrote: »

What does the 17 year old do to help out financially.

He's a full time student and although he does have a part time job it is only a few hours a week so he doesn't earn much. He contributes by using his EMA and wages to pay for his own travel and college equipment and i still claim child benefit and child tax credit for him because he is still in FT education.

karenx

No there is nothing else you can claim as he is working now

Oldernotwiser

McKneff wrote: »

The op says in her post that the maintenance payments will stop.
.

Sorry, I missed that.

I do agree that the lad's father should help out and the lad himself should contribute.

Oldernotwiser

crazyfr!!!39 wrote: »

I intend to allow him to make a small contribution as i agree it learns responsibility but i know he wont learn any lessons unless he also has some money for himself after he has contributed and met the other essential expenses he will have.

I think that he should make a larger contribution as his choices have impacted so heavily on the family budget. Obviously you will still have a lower income but not the gap you mention. You will also save the money that you will have been paying for the 15 year old's lunches and clothes which will help a bit.