Im just so angry with child benefit

Mandy_557

Really im writing this to get this off my chest as im just so angry with child benefit. I took into my rented home a 16 years old family friend because his father threw him out and he had nowhere to go. I took him to see connextions that deal with young people only to find out that because he was only 16 years old he was not entitled to any benefits in his own right and that if he didnt carry on living with me they would contact social services and he would end up in a childrens home. I was told that if he remained in full time education and lived with me i could claim child benefit and tax credits for him. This was back in June. I contacted child benefit explaining everything and i was refused child benefit because they said that he was having a relationship with my daughter so it came under the heading of living with his partner. I just could not believe it, yes my daughter is his girlfriend, they DO NOT share a room and because he was sleeping on my sofa i actually have just moved house so that he can have a room of his own. Basically they are calling me a liar. I have sent them all evidence, including birth certificate, letter from connextions to confirm our meeting took place, even a letter from his father confirming he lives with ME and not my daughter. I am on benefits myself and am now struggling. I was so surprised that if you cannot claim child benefit for a child then it stops you claiming everything, including child tax credit. What on earth does our private life have to do with proved facts, he is sixteen, claims no benefits of his own, in full time education. I have even offered someone to come and view my home so i can prove myself to them, but they are all trained to talk to you like they are computers, no feeling, no understanding.
There had my moan, feel a bit better, but still very angry, all i wanted to do was help someone.

RazWaz

Not sure why he can't claim anything himself, I was living alone and on benefits at 17, and one of my friends was when she was 16. I think the best thing you can do is contact the CAB and see if they can help you.

patricia1066

Seconding Razwaz advice - get an appt with CAB or welfare right specialist solicitor as he will qualify for legal advice regardless of your income.
You did the right thing with the the interview with Connexions, as this is the date at which his benefit claim should begin as an "estranged Young Person."
Your daughter isnt independent so cannot support him or invite him into your home.

DX2

So is his parents still claiming the CB and CTC?

Oldernotwiser

patricia1066 wrote: »

Your daughter isnt independent so cannot support him or invite him into your home.

Actually, we don't know that - daughter might be employed.

Ettenna

When my daughter's partner moved in with us, he was 16. We received CB for him and would have received CTC if he had not been on my daughter's claim (she had a baby and had her own claim). He was in full time education and had moved 160 miles from home. But he was not entitled to IS because he was not deemed as estranged from his family because he spoke to them occasionally.

I probably have the relevant information somewhere that quotes the rules and regs for IS (I think that's the one and not CTC).

DX2

People in relevant education

[FONT=Arial,Arial]People aged 16 or over but under age 20 in full-time non-advanced education are normally treated as dependent on parents. However, they may qualify for Income Support if they are:

parents [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]• [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]orphans [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]• [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]estranged from their parents [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial]

Estranged or orphaned young people undertaking a course of full-time, non advanced education started or enrolled on before age 19 who remains in non-advanced full time education may qualify for Income Support up until the age of 21, or when the course ceases, which ever comes first.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/is-20.pdf[/FONT]

Oldernotwiser

DX2 wrote: »

People in relevant education

[FONT=Arial,Arial]People aged 16 or over but under age 20 in full-time non-advanced education are normally treated as dependent on parents. However, they may qualify for Income Support if they are:

parents [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]• [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]orphans [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]• [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Arial]estranged from their parents [/FONT]


[FONT=Arial,Arial]

Estranged or orphaned young people undertaking a course of full-time, non advanced education started or enrolled on before age 19 who remains in non-advanced full time education may qualify for Income Support up until the age of 21, or when the course ceases, which ever comes first.
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/is-20.pdf[/FONT]

I agree with what you've posted but it would be far better if the OP could get CB/CTC for him as she should.

Mandy_557

thank you all for replying. Just to say that my daughter is in full time education and has no income of her own. I actually received a phone call today after i sent off the letter of complaint to the child benefit office and i was told that while my daughter has a relationship with her boyfriend i cannot claim CB, but if they broke up and he remained living with me i could make a new claim for him and receive child benefit for him, i just laughed, so nothing would change at my home, as long as he didnt take her to the cinema or for a meal then it would be ok for me to claim. They say being dishonest gets you nowhere, well ive been up front and truthful and look where thats got me.