How much board would you charge a 17 year old?

jellyhead

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

Are you in contact with his parents?

Not really. They know our address and phone number but we're not really on friendly terms. I hope things will get better between us all, but for the moment we're not in touch. The boy has a support worker to help out, so maybe in the future.

maman

j.e.j. wrote: »

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.

I would certainly agree with not 'charging' offspring to live at home but sadly OP can't afford to do that. I must admit to being ignorant of the benefit system but will IS continue when he returns to school? Are his parents claiming CB when he's living with you? Surely that can't be allowed.

Reading between the lines it sounds as if this young man has had a tough time and OP is kindly giving him the stability and family life he needs while he works towards university. If the boy is amenable then I'd take ALL the money and save it for him except for the CB equivalent. He'd obviously have any earnings from a job just as your son would. Then you have the money ready for when he needs a laptop or clothes or whatever. I'd have thought he needs a laptop now, not wait until university.

jellyhead

j.e.j. wrote: »

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.

I would normally agree, and I never intended to charge my children, but I can't afford 3 children. Obviously if I got child benefit and tax credits for him that would cover his costs and leave enough for pocket money, gym membership, music tuition etc. but I don't, so our income is around £67 less than other families with 3 children who talk about charging their teenager some board. I don't want to sound like I see him as a source of extra income because that's not the case. I've kept him for the past few months on nothing because he needs somewhere to live and had no other options other than a hostel for supported living.

He's living here but he appealed and was given the income support. These houses are titchy and he may not want to live as a family of 5 in such close quarters once he's got his thoughts together. What if he gets a partner? I wanted him to be in a situation where he has options and freedom to ask for a supported hostel instead, and to be classed as an independent person estranged from family when he applies for university grants because that's what's best for him. It would be financially better for me to claim child benefits for him but I didn't want to do that until he'd exhausted the appeals process.

Sorry if that seemed like a bit of a rant But I really don't see him as a source of income. I would never want to take more than he actually costs. I thought of writing it all down, but I wouldn't want him to feel uncomfortable about costing me anything. He keeps trying to give me his wages already, bless him.

jellyhead

maman wrote: »

I would certainly agree with not 'charging' offspring to live at home but sadly OP can't afford to do that. I must admit to being ignorant of the benefit system but will IS continue when he returns to school? Are his parents claiming CB when he's living with you? Surely that can't be allowed.

Reading between the lines it sounds as if this young man has had a tough time and OP is kindly giving him the stability and family life he needs while he works towards university. If the boy is amenable then I'd take ALL the money and save it for him except for the CB equivalent. He'd obviously have any earnings from a job just as your son would. Then you have the money ready for when he needs a laptop or clothes or whatever. I'd have thought he needs a laptop now, not wait until university.

Yes, he is looking at laptops now. We'll buy it, then apply for the school bursary in September.

Income support will continue when he goes back to school, but will stop before he goes to uni I think. We'll read up on it to check, we need to check if he is allowed to keep the bursary too.

jellyhead

herand wrote: »

Zero. However the 17 year old should be buying their own food, clothing, toiletries, furniture, household goods etc all you should provide is a place to live, and household bills like gas, electricity etc.

Well that's how he would live if he was an actual lodger, I suppose. He couldn't have bought his own bed and bedding or calculator for his exams because he didn't have his wages, and doesn't earn enough anyway. We didn't know if he would ever get income support so he's just been absorbed into the household.

If he wanted to buy everything for himself and just use here as a place to live then fine, but that's not what he wants.

It's pretty much how I was when I was a teenager though. I had a bee in my bonnet about cruelty free products and vegetarianism, and I was pig headed about it, so I paid my own way, but ignored things like milk and bread, because they just appear in the cupboards :rotfl:

It's an option, and it's what he'll do at uni I suppose, but for the moment I think that would feel a bit unfriendly. I know most teenagers spend all day in their rooms and cook pizza and pot noodles at unsociable hours, but mine sit at the table at mealtimes and chat with us.

BitterAndTwisted

As his parents got child benefit for him and swiped his wages, I'd be very wary of asking him to contribute so much that it would feel like you're trying to do something similar. BUT as he's not a member of your family and his IS is a form of replacement for the CB I think it would be fair to ask him to pay you a fair amount which equates to the actual cost of keeping him. Under the circs I would guess £35 a week as an absolute minimum, and the balance he should use for clothes, school stuff and anything else he would need.

zzzLazyDaisy

Does this help? From the article is seems that the social services have a duty to accommodate him. As he is in receipt of income support, does this entitle him to LHA shared room rate (I don't know the answer, just suggesting that this may be an avenue to pursue).

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/help_from_social_services/support_for_16_and_17_year_olds

bimbo84

If he's getting income support shouldn't he be also entitled to some housing benefit?

pollypenny

herand wrote: »

Why shouldn't a 17 year old be expected to contribute to the household food shop and buy their own specific food preferences?

You didn't say that, specific preferences.

Jekllyhead's whole thread is about him contributing. :cool:

geelamch

Don't take anything from my kids as they both live at home and work,I do insist that they bank a minimum of 30% of their wage .both usually bank more than this.i keep their passbooks and they have the remainder in their own bank.
I would be tempted to treat this lad in the same manner,as he as obviously had a very difficult time and could maybe do with a bit of ( mothering) kindness.
If finances would be stressed through this I would think £20 would probably cover his board.
I know all circumstances sure different.