Can a 16 year old student get benefits?

Gingerbiscuit_2

She would be better off studying hard then leaving to get a job or go to uni when she is 18. It may seem a novelty but the single room rents are so low its not likely she be living in anywhere very grand! On top of that she may have to pay towards gas/elec bills, her own tv liscience, food, transport, clothes as well as cost of studying. If she really hates home so much she rather be in some cold room in a house of strangers living on baked beans things must be bad!

Dont fogect the mim wage for 16y is only 3.68 so even if she is working 30h week its only 110 top, maybe she should look into going into care/fostering if there are that many home problems?

saratoga

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Most college students work part time as even full time courses generally have fairly low hours of attendance.

My daughter is doing a second year carpentry course which involves doing on site work when she is not actually in college and my sons are doing a multi skills course which covers carpentry,plumbing and building and are expecting to do some on site work soon. My children are still quite young at 14,15 and 17 and have no plans to move out yet so as I said we are looking into weekend jobs for them. I do realise that some students work part time,my daughters boyfriend works at Asda when he is not at college,but I'm pretty sure he does'nt make enough for him to move out of home and get his own place yet.

BigAunty

ragz wrote: »

...For a room and living costs I would guess she would need to earn £150 a week minimum, which would mean 30 hours ish? Could be doable... if she can find a job of course, there's a lot of competition in Brighton for suitable jobs for students!

Not sure. The directgov website will show the minimum wage for a 16 year old. A paye calculator will show if any tax/NI is due.

By downloading the budget planner and getting her to assume responsibility for finding a job, this will show the enormity of her decision and bring a bit of focus and realism to it.

You can get an idea of rental costs on the Spare Room and Gumtree websites, which bills tend to be included/excluded, plus the planner will prompt her for all living expenses - clothes, food, travel, social.

I am sure that there is some state support for vulnerable teenagers estranged from their parents but I can't see how going straight into benefits is going to help her self-esteem or drive.

My nephew was in care and the support he got towards independence was enormous but this meant as soon as it was removed, he lapsed into chaos and apathy, he seemed to be robbed of any kind of self sufficiency, needed enormous handholding for simple things like dealing with bills, applying for jobs, basic domestic tasks.

Money_maker

ragz wrote: »

Not really no, I live in a small village with poor bus service and the nearest colleges don't have her course, which is in Brighton, nearly 30 miles from me.

Plenty of colleges between Burwash and Brighton. This course must be very specialised.

Oldernotwiser

saratoga wrote: »

My daughter is doing a second year carpentry course which involves doing on site work when she is not actually in college and my sons are doing a multi skills course which covers carpentry,plumbing and building and are expecting to do some on site work soon. My children are still quite young at 14,15 and 17 and have no plans to move out yet so as I said we are looking into weekend jobs for them. I do realise that some students work part time,my daughters boyfriend works at Asda when he is not at college,but I'm pretty sure he does'nt make enough for him to move out of home and get his own place yet.

Sorry, when you said college I didn't think that they might be below school leaving age, although your eldest would obviously be able to do a part time job.

Oldernotwiser

Money_maker wrote: »

Plenty of colleges between Burwash and Brighton. This course must be very specialised.

I agree. If living at home is so miserable, perhaps she could be more flexible.

BigAunty

Of course,another alternative is to work full time and study part-time, either at college or via distance learning.

You could do a budget and comparison for the three scenarios - full time study and full time work if the course isn't onerous with site visits, full time study and part time work and part time study with full time work.

An apprenticeship will pay around £100 a week, I think, so the opportunity to earn and learn is there.

When I studied for my a'levels, which required part time attendance during the week, leaving me with plenty of free study spots in sixth form to do home work, I worked two nights per week and every Sat/Sun in a fast food chain, about 25 hours a week, and I got excellent grades.

saratoga

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Sorry, when you said college I didn't think that they might be below school leaving age, although your eldest would obviously be able to do a part time job.

My kids were Home Educated so they went to College early.Yes,she probably could get a part time job, it's just finding a suitable one, at the moment there is not a lot around in deepest,darkest Cornwall. She is still making withdrawals from the Bank of Mom and Dad until then!

missmontana

Have you tried the YMCA?

https://www.sussexcentralymca.org.uk

Ellejmorgan

Yes she can claim income support, she isn't a university student and can therefore claim providing she claims housing benefit & council tax benefit. She would need to be not supported by anyone else. The bursery would not affect this..

I received this at 16 and was in exactly the same situation, she should NOT seek work and deserves to gain qualifications, it's not her fault, 16 is too young to fend for herself...