Son leaving college, doesn't have a job

emtsuj

My 19yr old son will be leaving college in the next few weeks, he's never worked :eek: and whilst he has recently started some volunteer work it looks unlikely he'll be getting a job anytime soon.

I'm assuming he won't be entitled to any benefits but will he need to sign on?

**Update**
Been to the dole office today and they've said that as I get child benefit until the first Monday in September my son won't be able to sign on until that day.
My son also told me that he hadn't officially left college as his course doesn't end until the end of July and he's currently on study leave!
I think he said he'd left so I wouldn't force him into college to try and improve his grades, lazy begger that he is.
So my query now is, I know I'll continue to get tax credits whilst he's still registered for college but once he's left will they continue until the first Monday in September like the child benefit? Or will it end when his college year ends?

MrsManda

He may be entitled to claim Jobseekers Allowance providing he is looking for work.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/Money/FinancialHelpForYoungPeople/DG_10027506

- If he claims benefits in his own name, you cannot also claim Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit so it may be worth looking at the figures involved as I think you can claim CTC/CB until the 31st August after he finishes his course unless he turns 20 before then.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits/Keepingyourtaxcreditsuptodate/Changesthataffectyourtaxcredits/Familychanges/DG_172979

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ChildBenefitandChildTrustFund/Childbenefits/KeepingyourChildBenefituptodate/ChildBenefitafter16/DG_073812

HappyMJ

emtsuj wrote: »

My 19yr old son will be leaving college in the next few weeks, he's never worked :eek: and whilst he has recently started some volunteer work it looks unlikely he'll be getting a job anytime soon.

I'm assuming he won't be entitled to any benefits but will he need to sign on?

As long as the volunteer work doesn't take over his life and he can leave at any time to go to an interview or start a job then the voluntary work is fine and he can claim job seekers allowance (income based) as long as he is actively looking for work.

emtsuj

Thanks for the replies, I didn't realise he might be able to make a claim.

I know he could leave the volunteer work if he gets a job but as it's taken me three years to get him to this point, god knows how long it will take him to actually get a job. Unfortunately he isn't motivated by money at all and has a girlfriend, who for some reason thinks it's ok to sub him.

I currently receive tax credits/working tax credits and child benefit for him and I've been told the child benefit will end after the first Monday in September. Not too sure when the tax credits will end.

I also currently receive money from my ex to support him but I know the ex is eager to stop paying as soon as college ends.

I'm a bit concerned that he will happily sign on the dole and live off his £50+ per week, if he does claim will it only last for a certain length of time?

BigAunty

Then you'll need to motivate him with the real cost of living by sitting with him to complete the MSE budget planner which informs him just how much your rent or mortgage/energy/water/insurance/food/council tax bills are and working out how much JSA (i.e. most of it) that he needs to contribute towards his share.

Also, you can do this in tandem with identifying on the local council website how much housing benefit he would get if he moved out (the equivalent of a room in a shared house in the cheapest bottom third of properties), plus properties on Gumtree and Spare Room for this sum, if he shows any resistence to paying towards his keep.

It's really down to you to manage his expectation that his JSA is 100% pocket money for beer and ciggies.

ilikewatch

emtsuj wrote: »

Unfortunately he isn't motivated by money at all and I'm a bit concerned that he will happily sign on the dole and live off his £50+ per week, if he does claim will it only last for a certain length of time?

He will continue to receive income income based JSA as long as he remains eligible and satisfies the requirements.

HappyMJ

emtsuj wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, I didn't realise he might be able to make a claim.

-snip-

I'm a bit concerned that he will happily sign on the dole and live off his £50+ per week, if he does claim will it only last for a certain length of time?

Then you need to ask for £40 a week board. That'll soon motivate him to get a job as no-one wants to live on £16.25 a week. When he gets a job you ask for an extra £15 for every £100 more that he earns up to a fair and reasonable share of the houehold expenses such as maybe £70 a week.

BigAunty

Presenting him with an Army Recruitment application form might also stop him from viewing you as a soft touch like his girlfriend....Can't say there are no jobs when there are lads his age regularly dying in combat.

My dad has a strong work ethic and my teenage brother did not. My father was not averse to dragging him out of bed and pushing him out of the door to go get a job when my dad got up for work.

emtsuj

Believe me he will be paying his way, he already knows I don't have the money to support him.

I had thought £30 per week but maybe I'm being too soft? I know whatever amount I ask for he won't be impressed lol but I know that he costs me more than £30 per week and my income will be dropping quite a bit when the maintenance & benefits stop.

I have always worked and have a very strong work ethic and I really don't understand where his attitude and self entitlement have come from, I've obviously spoilt him by trying to give him a better childhood than I had.

The only reason he looked for volunteer work was because he was messing around at college -again and I told him that if he wanted to live in my house he either worked or went to college and if he wasn't doing either he needed to find somewhere else to live. Also said that he needed to be doing 'something' by the time he left college whether that was paid employment or volunteering until he got a job.

HappyMJ

emtsuj wrote: »

Believe me he will be paying his way, he already knows I don't have the money to support him.

I had thought £30 per week but maybe I'm being too soft? I know whatever amount I ask for he won't be impressed lol but I know that he costs me more than £30 per week and my income will be dropping quite a bit when the maintenance & benefits stop.

I have always worked and have a very strong work ethic and I really don't understand where his attitude and self entitlement have come from, I've obviously spoilt him by trying to give him a better childhood than I had.

The only reason he looked for volunteer work was because he was messing around at college -again and I told him that if he wanted to live in my house he either worked or went to college and if he wasn't doing either he needed to find somewhere else to live. Also said that he needed to be doing 'something' by the time he left college whether that was paid employment or volunteering until he got a job.

You need to patient too though. It took me 4 months of looking for work after leaving college to find a full time job. He will not be able to move out until he has a job (and for several months after that saving for a rental deposit) so you need to pressure him as hard as you can to get a job by making day to day life difficult. i.e no socializing with mates on benefit money. He'll have to then stay at home and get on the internet and look for work if he wants to go out with his mates.

You don't need to justify why you are charging £30 or £40 a week but you can always show him the bank statements or benefit advice notices showing him just how much you were getting and now you are getting nothing.

emtsuj

HappyMJ wrote: »

You need to patient too though. It took me 4 months of looking for work after leaving college to find a full time job. He will not be able to move out until he has a job (and for several months after that saving for a rental deposit) so you need to pressure him as hard as you can to get a job by making day to day life difficult. i.e no socializing with mates on benefit money. He'll have to then stay at home and get on the internet and look for work if he wants to go out with his mates.

You don't need to justify why you are charging £30 or £40 a week but you can always show him the bank statements or benefit advice notices showing him just how much you were getting and now you are getting nothing.

Oh I don't want him to leave at all! I left home at 18 and struggled for years, I didn't want him to do the same but he needed to realise that he had to stop messing around and sort himself out.

Most of his socialising is online as his friends are all at Uni so he can happily live on a low income. The girlfriend is off to Uni in September so his attitude may change then.

I know it will take him time to get a job and I'm hoping the volunteering will help him improve his confidence as well as give him some much needed experience of real life.