Benefits help needed

aimee0763

Hello Everyone,

I am on income Support under ill health, I receive Housing benefit, child benefit and child tax credit, my son is 19+ will be 20 yrs old in January 20th 2014.

Last year he started a full time AAT course which last for 5 years at college, he was doing AAT level 2 and 3 the course was paid in full by the government because he was 18 years old when he enrolled for the course at that time, he was at college for 2 days a week.

I've let my local authority know about his course and gave them the necessary proof documents there was no change in my benefits and still claimed as lone parent, my son don't claim any benefit because the child benefit and tax benefit said because he is in education he can receive those benefits until he reach 20 years old.

This year he enrolled for the Level 4 of that course and was told he had to applied for student loan because he is 19 years old and the government has stopped paying for courses to anyone reaching 19 years! The college help him to applied for student loan and he carried on with that course, last week we received a letter from The Student Loan Company saying he is not entitled to student loan, he took the letter to his college and was told by his tutor and other college staff he can still get the loan because he is 19 also they've all said the course is full time. I've also asked the college if the course was full time or not because I have to let the local authority know, it took them all this time to reply by letter which I received today saying that the course is only 7 hours one day a week, he does spent another whole day doing project work for the course and goes in the college to use their computer and library.

I obviously need show the local authority that letter and now I am worrying about the hours they've written on the letter which the local authority will say it's a part time course the college did not mention about the full day he spent doing the project work.

I know I will probably have problem with both my local authority and perhaps the child benefit and child tax credit offices, I intend to tell them straight away first thing on Monday.

Can someone please tell me what would happen to my Income support, housing benefit and both the child and tax credit benefit. Also he'll probably have to stop doing hat course as of the following week coming because he is not entitle for the student loan.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

Caz3121

Child benefit should have stopped if he went onto a level 4 course.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/further-education.htm#1
have they said why his application for student finance was turned down?
Forgetting the number of hours he is actually attending, does the college advertise the course as full time, if they have it as full and part time, does he know which one he is enrolled on?

mikey_bach

The student loan will not effect your Income Support, as it is for you son, and because you have claimed CTC for him, I.S don't pay for him so any Income he has will not effect your I.S.

Unless you have a mortgage and getting SMI then yes it will effect your I.S

If you have DLA middle rate and getting SDP on your I.S then this may stop if CHB ceases for your son as he is nineteen

aimee0763

Caz3121 wrote: »

Child benefit should have stopped if he went onto a level 4 course.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/keep-up-to-date/when-child-aged-16/further-education.htm#1
have they said why his application for student finance was turned down?
Forgetting the number of hours he is actually attending, does the college advertise the course as full time, if they have it as full and part time, does he know which one he is enrolled on?

Thank you for your reply, they just said they don't support such a course and yet several tutors said they pay student loan for that course. Also the tutors says it is full time course and yet the letter I received says 7 hours, it took them almost 2 months for me to get the letter, now I just pray and hope the CB and CTC will believe everything I say besides I will show them proof of the letter I received and will tell them I have countless times asked the college and told them that I have to let the necessary authorities know about the course!

I know none of that will matter and the problems now lies with me to sort it out and deal with the overpayment of CB CTC, HB etc.

aimee0763

mikey_bach wrote: »

The student loan will not effect your Income Support, as it is for you son, and because you have claimed CTC for him, I.S don't pay for him so any Income he has will not effect your I.S.

Unless you have a mortgage and getting SMI then yes it will effect your I.S

If you have DLA middle rate and getting SDP on your I.S then this may stop if CHB ceases for your son as he is nineteen

Thank you at least that is something! I do not have a mortgage, I am a council tenant, I do not receive DLA either never have done, All I receive is Income Support under ill health.

Please can you tell me do I have to notify the dwp about my son no longer in college? Does my Income support stop? I know the CB and CTC will stop but not sure with Income Support?

All I can do is take the bull by the horn and deal with those, in a way I feel a little relieved but still of course under a lot of stress now how to deal with the coming bills!

45002

aimee0763 wrote:

Hello Everyone,

I am on income Support under ill health, I receive Housing benefit, child benefit and child tax credit, my son is 19+ will be 20 yrs old in January 20th 2014.

Last year he started a full time AAT course which last for 5 years at college, he was doing AAT level 2 and 3 the course was paid in full by the government because he was 18 years old when he enrolled for the course at that time, he was at college for 2 days a week.

I've let my local authority know about his course and gave them the necessary proof documents there was no change in my benefits and still claimed as lone parent, my son don't claim any benefit because the child benefit and tax benefit said because he is in education he can receive those benefits until he reach 20 years old.

This year he enrolled for the Level 4 of that course and was told he had to applied for student loan because he is 19 years old and the government has stopped paying for courses to anyone reaching 19 years! The college help him to applied for student loan and he carried on with that course, last week we received a letter from The Student Loan Company saying he is not entitled to student loan, he took the letter to his college and was told by his tutor and other college staff he can still get the loan because he is 19 also they've all said the course is full time. I've also asked the college if the course was full time or not because I have to let the local authority know, it took them all this time to reply by letter which I received today saying that the course is only 7 hours one day a week, he does spent another whole day doing project work for the course and goes in the college to use their computer and library.

I obviously need show the local authority that letter and now I am worrying about the hours they've written on the letter which the local authority will say it's a part time course the college did not mention about the full day he spent doing the project work.

I know I will probably have problem with both my local authority and perhaps the child benefit and child tax credit offices, I intend to tell them straight away first thing on Monday.

Can someone please tell me what would happen to my Income support, housing benefit and both the child and tax credit benefit. Also he'll probably have to stop doing hat course as of the following week coming because he is not entitle for the student loan.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance

aimee0763 wrote:

Thank you for your reply, they just said they don't support such a course and yet several tutors said they pay student loan for that course. Also the tutors says it is full time course and yet the letter I received says 7 hours, it took them almost 2 months for me to get the letter, now I just pray and hope the CB and CTC will believe everything I say besides I will show them proof of the letter I received and will tell them I have countless times asked the college and told them that I have to let the necessary authorities know about the course!

I know none of that will matter and the problems now lies with me to sort it out and deal with the overpayment of CB CTC, HB etc.

aimee wrote:

Thank you at least that is something! I do not have a mortgage, I am a council tenant, I do not receive DLA either never have done, All I receive is Income Support under ill health.

Please can you tell me do I have to notify the dwp about my son no longer in college? Does my Income support stop? I know the CB and CTC will stop but not sure with Income Support?

All I can do is take the bull by the horn and deal with those, in a way I feel a little relieved but still of course under a lot of stress now how to deal with the coming bills!

For reference

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?409881-Benefits-help-needed

http://www.youreable.com/forums/showthread.php/6226-Benefits-help-needed?