What (child) benefits for a couple where one person is a full time student?

catnicex

Hi,

I cannot find anywhere information about my situation, it seems that as a Full Time PhD Student I am in a grey zone when it comes to (child) benefits.

The main question is if anybody knows (perhaps by experience) whether I can get any benefit.
I phoned the council and they didn't have have a clear answer... :-(
I am going there in person next week so some knowledge from the forum would be beneficial.

Out situation is this:
- Married couple with a 3 weeks old baby.
- My wife works, salary a bit under £30,000.
- I worked for two years full time then I started a Full Time PhD.
- I get a tax free departmental scholarship for the PhD and (this is the only thing I am sure of) it doesn't count as an income with regard to child benefits (it would count however for tax credit, I understood...).
- I do some freelancer work not on a regular basis and at the moment this year I am just over my personal allowance so I am paying taxes on this income (this counts instead, obviously, for child benefits - a minor question is whether I should be considered as self-employed for tax credit).

Now, we are not obviously in a bad situation overall, yet given the new baby and the fact that I must be at the University for the PhD everyday, we are going to face a relevant childcare bill (We live in London), that is definitely going to substantially reduce our income and turn it into the red.

Thus, we are wondering whether we are entitled to any benefit for the child and maybe any tax credit (for my wife).
The only benefit we currently have is the 25% discount on the council tax.
The problem is that all the tools online are useless when one of the person in the couple is a full time student.

Any help?

Many thanks

kelloggs36

All you would get would be child tax credits which won't amount to much, and child benefit (which you are probably claiming already).

Kimitatsu

MOVING THREADS FOR BETTER RESPONSES


Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]!!!!!![/EMAIL].

karenx

You will get your child benefit of £20 per week and child tax credits of £20 per week also