Will child tax credit and child benefit stop

cd36uk

Asking on behalf of a relative, so some advice to pass on please:

She currently receives child tax credit and child benefit for her granddaughter who lives with her as she is aged 17 and attends sixth form college.
The girl has been offered an internship in the field she is aiming for, will the child benefit and tax credit be stopped if she takes it?

Jowo_2

Here is the type of training that qualifies for CB and internships are not listed. It has to be an approved course or qualifying body, detailed here.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/further-education.htm

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/leave-education.htm

Is this internship some kind of unpaid work experience, is it voluntary work that pays expenses? The reason I ask is that is it possible to get Job Seekers Allowance while undertaking voluntary work but all the usual JSA criteria applies, such as being actively seeking and available for work, which won't always apply to an internship where there is a fixed period of commitment, for example.

cd36uk

Jowo wrote: »

Here is the type of training that qualifies for CB and internships are not listed. It has to be an approved course or qualifying body, detailed here.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/further-education.htm

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/leave-education.htm

Is this internship some kind of unpaid work experience, is it voluntary work that pays expenses? The reason I ask is that is it possible to get Job Seekers Allowance while undertaking voluntary work but all the usual JSA criteria applies, such as being actively seeking and available for work, which won't always apply to an internship where there is a fixed period of commitment, for example.

As I understand it, as she is 17 she would not be able to apply for benefits anyway.
It is unpaid work experience, I will know later on if travel expenses are paid or not.

So assuming the child tax credits and child benefits are stopped as well, it will up to her family to financially support her.

Jowo_2

cd36uk wrote: »

As I understand it, as she is 17 she would not be able to apply for benefits anyway.
It is unpaid work experience, I will know later on if travel expenses are paid or not.

So assuming the child tax credits and child benefits are stopped as well, it will up to her family to financially support her.

Yes, you are right, JSA is not normally paid to 17 year olds unless there are special circumstances, such as estrangement from family. Other MSE members will be able to expand upon the hardship/vulnerability criteria for receiving it.

So yes, assuming the internship isn't part of the recognised training for CTC/CB, her family will be expected to support her or she could find an evening/weekend job.

Perhaps the work placement provider could be encouraged to formalise it in some way, such as setting it up as an apprenticeship?

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers.aspx

Or perhaps the girl can find an apprenticeship locally in the same field?

Might be worth running the proposal past the Citizens Advice Bureau for definitive answers and options? This organisation is often cited for advice for young people.

http://www.connexions-direct.com/

cd36uk

Jowo wrote: »

Yes, you are right, JSA is not normally paid to 17 year olds unless there are special circumstances, such as estrangement from family. Other MSE members will be able to expand upon the hardship/vulnerability criteria for receiving it.

So yes, assuming the internship isn't part of the recognised training for CTC/CB, her family will be expected to support her or she could find an evening/weekend job.

Perhaps the work placement provider could be encouraged to formalise it in some way, such as setting it up as an apprenticeship?

http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Employers.aspx

Or perhaps the girl can find an apprenticeship locally in the same field?

Might be worth running the proposal past the Citizens Advice Bureau for definitive answers and options? This organisation is often cited for advice for young people.

http://www.connexions-direct.com/

She has been in touch with connexions and they were as useful as a chocolate teapot! They told her to contact her college regarding apprenticeships (and then added there are none in the field she wishes to work in)
The internship would be full time Mon-Fri 9am-6pm so I am not sure if she would want to undertake paid employment as well.
I will advise them that CHB and CTC will cease and that they will be supporting her.
Thanks for the advice

Jowo_2

cd36uk wrote: »

..The internship would be full time Mon-Fri 9am-6pm so I am not sure if she would want to undertake paid employment as well.

Not even a weekend shelf stacking job to earn while she learns?

Most of my pals on full time courses at Uni and college work 10, 20 or 30 hours a week in supermarkets, call centres, shops, bars and so on, though if I'm honest with you their contact hours at their educational establishments tend to be around 3 or 4 days per week max so are lighter hours that your friends daughter.

Sixer

Jowo wrote: »

Not even a weekend shelf stacking job to earn while she learns?

Most of my pals on full time courses at Uni and college work 10, 20 or 30 hours a week in supermarkets, call centres, shops, bars and so on, though if I'm honest with you their contact hours at their educational establishments tend to be around 3 or 4 days per week max so are lighter hours that your friends daughter.

You'll like this one, Jowo: my son's school's A level prospectus tells the kids that they shouldn't really get part-time jobs as they need all their time to study. On the same page, they say each A level subject they take is taught for 4 hours a week and should be matched by 4 hours study. On the same page again, they say they will only permit more than 3 subjects in the case of students with excellent GCSE results and after an interview. I kid you not. In the dim and distant past, I did 4 A levels whilst also working 15 hours a week on the deli counter at a supermarket. I also had a social life AND I made it into a Russell Group uni. Most of my contemporaries did similar.

Jowo_2

Yes, I studied for 3 A'levels (our 6th form discouraged people from taking 4) and got grades A, A, B. Our sixth form didn't have a policy on part time work.I worked every weds and fri night until 10 pm, every saturday and sunday (so about 24 hours per week) from the start of term up to mock exams. During Uni, I always had part time work in the term time and full time work in the holidays. After my A'levels and before Uni, I had a full time office job Mon to Fri, plus worked in a chippy a couple of nights a week as I struggled to pay my lodgings from my low paid full time job.

However, it was in the olden days when casual work was much easier to find...

cd36uk

Casual work is indeed hard to find this days. The internship turned out to be a bit of a washout any way, so she is continuing college therefore the benefits remain intact.