Child expenses

Queen

Hi just about to fill forms into have UPA re-assessed this has not been done since Aug 2009 even though our income has gone down and bills gone up, anyway since last September my son who is now taking options at school we have been paying £40 per term for guitar lessons which is part of his work for his paperwork, we have not option to this if he wants to take music, will they allow this when assessing figures, not sure if I should put it on form or not

Ineedaname

Didn't want to read and run. One part of me says this should be fine as it's a required payment for his course. Another says the OR will only allow a certain amount for child activities in total and may expect you to find any extra within your other allowances.

Hopefully a more experienced member will be along shortly with more guidance. Otherwise I guess all you can do is put it down and then explain and negotiate if the OR queries it.

kepar

So £40 a term is how much a month? About £10-£13. As you can claim so much a month for children's activities and clubs I can see this being a problem. Also as you were assessed under the old IPA system, even though you are paying an IPA you will have surplus. You could always use this if the OR doesn't allow it.

JCS1

I think the technical manual makes mention of one after school activity per child being permissible.

You mention it relates to coursework, is it for GCSE's?

Queen

Thanks for replies, this is for GSCS's and paid every term which is a bout every 5 weeks so average £40 we have a IPA of £120 between me & hubby my income has gone down by abour £60 per month also when assessed gas & electric they would only allow £120 bertween the 2, we pay £195 this come's out of surplus so when I send new income and what we pay because things have gone up we will have little surplus

Ineedaname

Oh my goodness, that's high for gas and electric. Have you tried turning the heating down a couple degrees in the winter? Would mean you're not having to find quite so much from your allowances to cover the difference.

So the £40 is every half term then? That might be a bit high for the activities allowance, but stick it in and see what the OR says.

kepar

Who has the IPA you or your hubby?

Queen

Both £70 for me and £50 for hubby

kepar

If your income has gone down £60 then your IPA will be reduced, if your gas and electric is that high then both of your IPA's will drop. Did you not report your drop in income? with the other rises you may drop below the £100 threshold.

Queen

Hi yes I have advised OR time and time of loss of income and increased bills so I have asked for us to be re-assessed in fact if I take an average for hubby's income since the beginning of the yr this will have dropped drastically due to be off work ill but because this is not a change income they would not reduce

kepar

Is what the OR said, so on the other side of the coin if you had done a lot of overtime that is not a changed income. I somehow don't think you would have been able to keep the extra for long.