advice needed ..support for 16 - 18 yr old on minimum wage low income - not a student

decsep

I keep finding reference to benefit support for 16 yr olds but then the calculators say that the benefits are only if young person has remained in some form of education or apprenticeship. What can a 17 yr old claim when struggling to survive and pay rent etc on £634 a month net full time on low income job. Housing benefit appears to be only benefit available and would only give him £3.00 a week. He loves his job and does not want to give it up. He works very hard.:T

MrsManda

I think council tax benefit and housing benefit are the only things he's eligible for but he should call his local jobcentre plus and ask them to help work out what he is eligible for and fill out the applications. Benefits for Young People
It may also be worth him filling out a Statement of Affairs on the DebtFreeWannabe board and seeing if the lovely people on there can help him cut down his costs.

925dancer

Is he not entitled to Working Tax Credits? Is there an age restriction on those? Leaving aside age, it is for those working 30 hours a week or more on a low income.

I could be wrong but worth checking.

Elle7

925dancer wrote: »

Is he not entitled to Working Tax Credits? Is there an age restriction on those? Leaving aside age, it is for those working 30 hours a week or more on a low income.

I could be wrong but worth checking.

Yeah, minimum age of WTC is 25. God knows why, though.

Spendless

How much is his rent? And does he live alone? He's unlikely to qualify for much in the way of HB as at that age it's more expected that they will still be living with family and if not then in shared accommodation.

It might be a case of looking at cheaper places for him to live.

Oldernotwiser

decsep wrote: »

I keep finding reference to benefit support for 16 yr olds but then the calculators say that the benefits are only if young person has remained in some form of education or apprenticeship. What can a 17 yr old claim when struggling to survive and pay rent etc on £634 a month net full time on low income job. Housing benefit appears to be only benefit available and would only give him £3.00 a week. He loves his job and does not want to give it up. He works very hard.:T

He won't be any better off if he gives up his job, his trouble is that his rent's too high for someone of his age.

Lokolo

How come his rent is so high? Is he not living with someone else?

carbbit

I think the £634 is his net income, not his rent.

OUStudent

As has been said he is pretty much screwed His only option is to try and reduce his rent and outgoings, a lot easier said than done and at 17 years old it is only right he should have some kind of social life.

THe only options I can think of are moving in with a relative or moving into a shared house this is the only way I can think of reducing his outgoings enough to still leave him with some money at the end of the month.

Maybe a second job? Although if he is working full time already it is probably the last thing he would want to do however he could do it in a way that would also make it social ie maybe working in a local pub or club in the evenings?

What job is he currently doing? Does it have any kind of scope for him to be earning more once he has gained a few years experience? Could he be earning more in another job?

It is hard for the youngsters nowadays and this is a typical example of somebody who is trying to do it the right way and yet again it is being made impossible for them

I hope he manages to sort something out soon

Oldernotwiser

carbbit wrote: »

I think the £634 is his net income, not his rent.

I think you're right - I misread it.

Spendless

Yes, £634 is the income for a 17yo working f-time on min pay. Just googled it.