Can a 16 year old student get benefits?

Oldernotwiser

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

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...

You can only claim benefits at 16/17 for specific circumstances such as family estrangement, which isn't the case here.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with working full time and studyin part time and will be a better start for many people apart from the most academic.

BigAunty

Ellejmorgan wrote: »

...should NOT seek work and deserves to gain qualifications, it's not her fault, 16 is too young to fend for herself...

It is possible to learn and earn, they are not mutually exclusive, it requires a bit of balancing and a structured approach to time management and budgeting.

With support from her sister and her college, this should be easier than going fully solo in a bedsit without any support system.

Peanuckle

She might be able to claim income support if she's estranged but it's not the easiest thing to do even if you do qualify. We helped out a young lady last year who was estranged and had to leave home for her own safety (this was backed up by police and social services reports) but it still took a lot of pushing to get the benefits agency to accept that she was on her own and to start payment. At one point they tried to insist that I claimed child benefit for her even though this wasn't possible under their own rules :cool:

I would suggest that she tries to get a part time job whilst remaining at home and starts building up some savings ready for when she is a little older and more able to live independently (obviously assuming that she is safe at home)

ragz_2

Thanks for all the replies. I think that turning 16 a few weeks ago has gone to her head a bit and she is full of dreams of independence and a rose tinted idea of leaving home. I am hoping to give her a bit of a reality check and persuade her that it's not all she thinks it is and will involve a lot of hard work and budgeting and a lot less fun!

She was very happy to get into the course she wanted so I think it is important to support that (though being 16 she may well change her mind again in a few weeks, she wanted to do something totally different 6 months ago!). I certainly do not expect the state to support her if my parents are capable of doing so, (though that is debatable at the moment) so I will be encouraging her to support herself by working if she chooses to leave home, but if that were not possible I want to know if she can get support while she finishes her course.

I have had a lot of helpful advice and am very grateful for your time in giving it.

Oldernotwiser

ragz wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies. I think that turning 16 a few weeks ago has gone to her head a bit and she is full of dreams of independence and a rose tinted idea of leaving home. I am hoping to give her a bit of a reality check and persuade her that it's not all she thinks it is and will involve a lot of hard work and budgeting and a lot less fun!

.

I'd also point out to her that living off benefits isn't being independent.

Hope you sort something out.