How much board would you charge a 17 year old?

jellyhead

I'm just after people's opinions. How much board would you charge a 17 year old who is sharing your child's bedroom. Just a schoolfriend, not a partner. They can't go home, and need somewhere to live for a year or so until they go to uni. They are getting income support and a small wage which add up to around £71 per week, and next year I think he may be able to get a £1200 bursary in 6th form, although I'm not clear on whether that's in addition to the income support or if he has to tell them and get it taken off his income support. He would benefit from buying a computer or laptop for when he goes to uni.

He had the clothes on his back, so he needed clothes, school bag, calculator, folders, stationary, a birth certificate, replacement charger for his mobile phone, a bed and mattress, duvet, pillow, etc. and has been treated as part of the family in terms of days out, meals out and holidays, so assume he'll be getting birthday presents and christmas presents too.

A relative of mine took in a 17 year old recently, and she reckons it costs over £50 per week to keep an extra teenager excluding clothes, holiday, days out etc. but I think that might be too much? Although, I would get more than that in CB and CTC for him, I suppose, if I were claiming them for him.

He walks to school and takes a packed lunch 4 days and I give him £3 on the 5th day. He is paying subs for his hobbies out of his wages. I buy toiletries for the family.

He's only just been granted income support, so I haven't charged him anything previously. With his wages he's bought a coat and shoes, but I wanted him to have a bit of personal spending money because my son gets £10 per week in wages/pocket money.

What would you charge?

balletshoes

I would charge one third of his income - at the very least one third of his Income Support (as I would consider one third of someone's income to be an appropriate amount to pay towards household bills once they are earning/claiming).

Blackpool_Saver

Are you in contact with his parents?

FatVonD

I agree that £50 is too much, I would say 25-£35 at the most but obviously from now on he buys his own clothes etc and saves some for uni.

j.e.j.

I must admit I don't like the idea of 'charging' your offspring (or in this case a 17 year old you've decided to support) to live at home. But I realise I'm in the minority here, and a lot of people on this board think it's good to see an older teenager as an extra source of (needed?) income.

Income Support is the lowest amount the government says a person needs to live on. I am surprised he can get it if he's living with a family, rather than independently?

What does his £71 a week have to cover? If he's expected to have to buy his own clothes, etc, then you need to take that into account. If you really must charge him, make it a nominal amount, or suggest to him that he puts some into savings.

RAS

Is this young person goign to be in school next academeic year?

What is the situation re parents (you could claim CSA if the child is in education and they are working).

Are you not claiming beneifts for them because you are not eligible or becasue you do not want to do so?

jellyhead

I don't want to claim benefits for him because we're in debt and can't afford to help him through uni at the same time as our son, so we don't want him to be assessed as being part of our family.

It's better for him this way, it gives him more options and freedom.

It's not better for us, because if he was our child we'd get child benefit and tax credit of over £60 per week. But we're not doing it for us. We have to charge something, sadly, in order to feed him because we are really struggling and can't afford a third child, which is why we stopped at two

skylight

You cannot claim CB and CTC anyway as he is getting income support.

I would take enough off him to cover food and the extra water/electric. I would suggest to him that he saves something as he doesn't really have any bills to pay out so could save that instead.

jellyhead

RAS wrote: »

Is this young person goign to be in school next academeic year?

What is the situation re parents (you could claim CSA if the child is in education and they are working).

Are you not claiming beneifts for them because you are not eligible or becasue you do not want to do so?

He will be in school, yes. He's been granted income support, so I doubt if we could claim CSA. The social worker suggested asking his family for financial support, lol - it's never going to happen. His family haven't offered anything over the past 3 months, and they took every penny of his wages when he lived there, on top of CB and CTC they got for him. They kept his first month's wages after he moved in here, and were angry when he got his own bank account so he could keep his second month's wages. I'm expecting them to go ballistic when their benefits stop, which I assume they will now that income support has been granted and backdated.

We are not in contact as such. The father came to the doorstep when the wages didn't go into his bank.

peachyprice

How much do you need to take off him?

If he's claiming IS and isn't part of the family for for benefit calculations can he not apply for a budgeting loan for the stuff he needs like bedding etc. http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/help_with_housing_costs/social_fund_grants_and_loans/budgeting_loans

You would at least then start with a clean slate so to speak of 'only' having to feed him, and TBH, one more mouth, if you and he are sensible isn't going to cost so much. Obviously if he's a fridge raider it's a bit different.

iammumtoone

I would maybe take the amount he gets for income support as this is given to him for living expensives (and you are providing this for him) the money he earns I think it is fair that as he has earnt it, he gets to keep that. Unless of course you charge your son board from any money he earns then take the same amount.

I also think you have to consider your son in this. If he is being treated as one of the family it would seem unfair to your child if his friend has x amount given to him by the state (I am not including his wages that is different your son could get a job if he wants wages) and has a lot more spending money than your child.

If you can I would maybe save some of his income support he gives you to give back to him at the end of the year so he can use this for any expensives he might incur when normally the child's parent would help (deposit for rent etc)

I also think it is a lovely thing you are doing for this child to take him in when it means you might struggle financially.