WTX want £350 back, & 17 yr old with no income

olibrofiz

Before anyone says 'your child, you support her' I know that, just would like a little advice. She's job hunting with no success so far. I don't think I've posted this query before but can't see my last posts - any how

Q.1 Can my 17 yr old get any financial support from anywhere (apart from me)? Although I've been fortunate to increase my hours at work, I'm still about £400 short of life with WTX and maintenance. Not complaining, not whining, not saying 'poor me'. Would just like some advice - mortgage and bills come first.....

Q2 WTX/CTX have written to advise that they've overpaid me by £350 and they;d like it back, but they're going to pay me a further £150 by April, so I'll end up owing them £500 = how stupid is that? Am going to say please don't pay me £150 - but would like to know, if anyone does, how long they give you to pay back such a small amount?

Thanks in anticipation

bestpud

Has your daughter just left education? If so she can register with Connexions and you will receive a 20 week run on of benefits. She may be able to if she hasn't been in education - I don't know.

Has she considered staying or returning to education? That will give her far better long term prospects...?

Other than that there isn't anything that I know of.

Dunroamin

Is there a reason why she's dropped out of education without a job or training place to go to?

londonTiger

Dunroamin wrote: »

Is there a reason why she's dropped out of education without a job or training place to go to?

cant speak for op, but here's how I see it. further education are just debt factories. It's turning into the US style system where rich kids and people on scholarships go to kill time, party and "develop" themselves. Then graduate with little or no prospects.

There are far too many micky mouse degrees at univisites like business management and the like, which in itself isn;t bad, but when it's taught by former polytechnics by lecturers who have ZERO business experience and are entirely professional academics, then it's a problem.

These micky mouse degrees dont give you much of an advantage, when the employer looks at your degree, they will in most cases just tick a box than says "has degree", as a sort of minimum requirement to get the job, possibly next to the box that says "british citizen" or "no disability". OK, im exxagerting a bit, but you get the idea I'm trying to elaborate here.

fruther education is not, and should not be something young people should be passed onto by default. I think with the 9 grand, the thinking is shifting from "let's get into any uni place" to "do I need to go uni?".

Anyway. OP. Have you thought about a vocational qaalifiction. ones that get your child into a work part time, study full time basis?

bestpud

londonTiger wrote: »

cant speak for op, but here's how I see it. further education are just debt factories. It's turning into the US style system where rich kids and people on scholarships go to kill time, party and "develop" themselves. Then graduate with little or no prospects.

There are far too many micky mouse degrees at univisites like business management and the like, which in itself isn;t bad, but when it's taught by former polytechnics by lecturers who have ZERO business experience and are entirely professional academics, then it's a problem.

These micky mouse degrees dont give you much of an advantage, when the employer looks at your degree, they will in most cases just tick a box than says "has degree", as a sort of minimum requirement to get the job, possibly next to the box that says "british citizen" or "no disability". OK, im exxagerting a bit, but you get the idea I'm trying to elaborate here.

fruther education is not, and should not be something young people should be passed onto by default. I think with the 9 grand, the thinking is shifting from "let's get into any uni place" to "do I need to go uni?".

Anyway. OP. Have you thought about a vocational qaalifiction. ones that get your child into a work part time, study full time basis?

You are confusing further education with higher education.

FE is up to level 3 and would be free for the OP's daughter, plus her mum could continue claiming benefits for her.

You are talking about HE.

Dunroamin

londonTiger wrote: »

cant speak for op, but here's how I see it. further education are just debt factories. It's turning into the US style system where rich kids and people on scholarships go to kill time, party and "develop" themselves. Then graduate with little or no prospects.

There are far too many micky mouse degrees at univisites like business management and the like, which in itself isn;t bad, but when it's taught by former polytechnics by lecturers who have ZERO business experience and are entirely professional academics, then it's a problem.

These micky mouse degrees dont give you much of an advantage, when the employer looks at your degree, they will in most cases just tick a box than says "has degree", as a sort of minimum requirement to get the job, possibly next to the box that says "british citizen" or "no disability". OK, im exxagerting a bit, but you get the idea I'm trying to elaborate here.

fruther education is not, and should not be something young people should be passed onto by default. I think with the 9 grand, the thinking is shifting from "let's get into any uni place" to "do I need to go uni?".

Anyway. OP. Have you thought about a vocational qaalifiction. ones that get your child into a work part time, study full time basis?

Which was the point I was making before you started to have a rant!

If you want people to think you know what you're talking about it might be better if you understood the difference between HE and FE.

londonTiger

same thing really, FE is just a funnel into HE. A levels don't hold much weight on their own, with the exception of a few trades and professional. i.e. good a levels can get you straight into ACCA and other accounting bodies.

For the most part, doing a levels is entirely pointles if you dont intend to go to university.

bestpud

londonTiger wrote: »

same thing really, FE is just a funnel into HE. A levels don't hold much weight on their own, with the exception of a few trades and professional. i.e. good a levels can get you straight into ACCA and other accounting bodies.

For the most part, doing a levels is entirely pointles if you dont intend to go to university.

The vocational courses you are talking of are FE too!!

FE includes 'A' levels and millions of other academic and vocational courses up to level 3, including apprenticeships!

Many careers involve FE study and no need for a degree whatsoever!

olibrofiz

Thanks for the replies - my DD has just completed a year at college, and passed the course she was on, she hasn't dropped out. She just doesn't want to be in an academic environment anymore and wants to get a job.

She's registered with connexions, how does that work regarding any income tho?

And any idea how long WTX would expect me to re-pay the overpayment?

BTW : I work in HE

bestpud

olibrofiz wrote: »

Thanks for the replies - my DD has just completed a year at college, and passed the course she was on, she hasn't dropped out. She just doesn't want to be in an academic environment anymore and wants to get a job.

She's registered with connexions, how does that work regarding any income tho?

And any idea how long WTX would expect me to re-pay the overpayment?

BTW : I work in HE

If she says to the advisor they will fill in a form and you can continue to claim tax credits and child benefit for a period of 20 weeks.

We did it just a few years ago with dd1 but I can't remember the process now - it was very easy, I do know that. Get her to ask her advisor and they will tell her what you need to do.

Has she considered an apprenticeship?

DD dropped out of college as she was on the wrong course for her and volunteered for a while to gain experience before applying for an apprenticeship. She was adamant she'd had enough of education at the time so it worked out perfectly for her. The volunteering definitely stood her in good stead - she did that during the 20 week run on.

DS also did an apprenticeship as he wanted to be earning asap.

They were both kept on and are doing well now - I'm a big fan of apprenticeships!

bestpud

Do you have younger children?

The over payment rate will depend on your current award and situation. If you will be stopping the claim, they will want it in one go I think.

You can negotiate with them if the decision puts you into financial hardship.