Benefit for 17 1/2 year old working daughter?

allyssa

Can anyone advise, please?
I'm a single mother with a 17 1/2 year old daughter living at home.
I care full time for an elderly relative and receive Carers Allowance of £53 p/w. I also get £41 p/w Income Support and housing Benefit & Council tax Benefit.
I receive no money for my daughter since Child Benefit stopped 6 months ago.

Now my daughter has got a job starting tomorrow. She's on 16 hours a week (at minimum wage). She's been told by the Job Centre she can't claim working tax credit or Income Support or any other Benefit, as she's now in 'full time employment'.

This doesn't seem right to me...? Now, apparantly as well as being expected to live on a 16 hour a week wage, she can't qualify for free dental treatment, or free prescriptions or even NHS glasses. By the time she pays her fairs to work there is going to be very little left.

Is she entitled to any Benefit? Am I entitled to claim something for her?

The Job Centre have been useless. Half the time they don't answer the phone, and even when they do they say the person dealing with this is 'off sick' and someone will call back, but they never do.
Connexions don't seem to understand either, they just refer my daughter to the Job Centre, again.

Indie_Kid

Is she living at home with you?

Unless she's disabled or has a child, she can't get tax credits until she's 25 adn working 30 hours per week.

healy

allyssa wrote: »

Can anyone advise, please?
I'm a single mother with a 17 1/2 year old daughter living at home.
I care full time for an elderly relative and receive Carers Allowance of £53 p/w. I also get £41 p/w Income Support and housing Benefit & Council tax Benefit.
I receive no money for my daughter since Child Benefit stopped 6 months ago.

Now my daughter has got a job starting tomorrow. She's on 16 hours a week (at minimum wage). She's been told by the Job Centre she can't claim working tax credit or Income Support or any other Benefit, as she's now in 'full time employment'.

This doesn't seem right to me...? Now, apparantly as well as being expected to live on a 16 hour a week wage, she can't qualify for free dental treatment, or free prescriptions or even NHS glasses. By the time she pays her fairs to work there is going to be very little left.

Is she entitled to any Benefit? Am I entitled to claim something for her?

The Job Centre have been useless. Half the time they don't answer the phone, and even when they do they say the person dealing with this is 'off sick' and someone will call back, but they never do.
Connexions don't seem to understand either, they just refer my daughter to the Job Centre, again.

No there is no benefit she can claim.

There is nothing you can claim.

Indie_Kid

When working out whether someone is entitled to free prescriptions, they don't take travel into account.

AnxiousMum

It's all a part of a child growing up and entering the adult world I'm afraid! If she was still in school you would be claiming things for her as a dependent. But as soon as she enters the work force to start her career, or stops being a full time student - she has made a decision to become independent.

JimmyTheWig

First of all, congratulations to her on getting a job.
That can't be easy in this economic climate for someone with no/little experience and limited qualifications.

I guess the way to look at it is that this is a stepping stone to work with more hours and/or better pay. She's lucky to have you to provide a roof over her head.

karenx

Why cant she get a full time job instead of a part time one?

Benefits_Bod

Be aware that when your daughter turns 18, your HB/CTB are likely to be affected - especially if she is working 16 hours per week or more (on average).

This is courtesy of "non-dependant" deductions - statutory amounts set by the government.

If your daughter is working (aged 18 onwards) for LESS than 16 hours per week, the amount of her earnings won't matter - standard weekly deductions for 2010/11 would be £7.40 (HB) & £2.30 (CTB). But, if your daughter is working for 16 hours per week or more, the deductions then depend on the level of ALL of her GROSS income (including non-earnings).

For working non-dependants, the deduction bands for HB are (2010/11)**:

Gross income - less than £120: deduction from HB £ 7.40
Gross income - £120 - £177.99: deduction from HB £17.00
Gross income - £178 - £230.99: deduction from HB £23.35
Gross income - £231 - £305.99: deduction from HB £38.20
Gross income - £306 - £381.99: deduction from HB £43.50
Gross income - £382 and up: deduction from HB £47.75

** There are exceptions (for example, if YOU are receiving the care component of disability living allowance, or, if your daughter is a student).

Deductions from CTB apply on a similar basis, ranging from £2.30 to £6.95 per week.

Figures sourced from DWP circular HB/CTB A2/2010.

tcr_3

She might still get help with prescriptions, dental charges etc. Pop into the Job Centre & get an HC1 application form, it's there to help people on a low income with such expenses.

Hammyman

And start charging her board. Doesn't have to be a massive amount but as well as helping you, it'll teach her that there is a cost to living so it won't come as such a shock when she does finally leave home. Doesn't have to be a lot - £30-£40 a week should cover food etc.

JimmyTheWig

karenx wrote: »

Why cant she get a full time job instead of a part time one?

Um, have you not seen the news? Have you not read the papers? Have you not spoken to people?
There's a recession going on. It's very hard to get any sort of a job, even for those with experience and qualifications.