How does son's apprenticeship affect my benefits?

aquarian3

Hi,

My 16 yr old son (last child living at home) started 6th form in Sept but hated going, so through a work colleague in Connexions a local apprenticeship was found and he went to an interview yesterday and got a call this morning offering him a job, starting Monday.

As the Law changed this year making all 16 yr olds stay in full time education or training (6th form, college or an apprenticeship), by staying on in 6th form I was still entitled to child benefit and receive Child Tax Credits, but how will these two benefits change with him now leaving 6th form and starting an apprenticeship?

Just to confirm the job offer is a 12 month apprenticeship with an accredited qualification at the end in the form of an NVQ Level 2, leading onto another year at a Level 3 NVQ if he wants to stay on. The company have managers who started as app'ces and some young adults in their 2nd year, so they are a local firm proficient in training young people up and tend to keep hold of them, which is reassuring in today's job market!

So he will be continuing on in training, which the new Law asks for, but how will this affect my household money?

I'm currently getting higher rate DLA as I became disabled through cancer 6 yrs ago, but I work as much as I can in the week, so also receive ESA, I get some housing benefit & council tax, I pay an amount towards both too, I get child benefit and child tax credits. I am separated from a cheating spouse, so I am also a single parent.

My son will be receiving £110 per week and its a Monday to Friday 9-5:30pm job.

Thank you for any advice given

Lisa

bloolagoon

You lose your child related benefits but gain his income.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

bloolagoon wrote: »

You lose your child related benefits but gain his income.

No the son gains £110 - it is his income.

McKneff

Whatever you lose in child related benefits, you son should be be paying at least that much or more as 'bed and board'


So you shouldn't be any worse off.

bloolagoon

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

No the son gains £110 - it is his income.

Her question was how does this affect household income. How much she takes of his income is of course between them.

NYM

From HMRC website.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/keep-up-to-date/changes-affect/family-change/child-16.htm#2

You can still get Child Tax Credit for your child up to their 20th birthday if they're doing 'approved' training. Your child needs to have started, enrolled or been accepted onto an unwaged approved course before their 19th birthday.

.........

A course provided by an employer as part of a job contract doesn't count as approved.

fallenangelhorses

Hello there... Ive sent you a PM ok. xx

~Chameleon~

Your HB won't be affected by a non-dependant whilst you are in receipt of DLA but you'll be expected to pay something towards CT benefit for him. All other child related benefits will cease to be paid and your ESA may be affected by his additional income.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Apprentices earning below a certain wage are exempt from Council Tax liability.

aquarian3

I just wanted to thank you all for taking the time to reply and for providing additional links to follow.

As I touched upon in my post the position is paid, not unwaged, although I was asked to check whether its paid as wages or something else, like a contribution towards his apprenticeship, or wording similar to that meaning?

The course being provided is through Learn Direct, which is definitely an approved training course, he will be starting off on a Level 2 NVQ for 12 months and all going well he could be offered Level's 3, 4 & 5, which many employees at the firm have/are doing there.

Does anyone know if the benefits are centralised now? In that one phone call to one department, with one telephone assistant adjusting our household income would mean that the ESA, Housing B, Council T, Child TC & Child B would all get updated at the same time, so they are all notified at once or am I thinking wishfully that all benefits are linked to one another? (I know HB and CT are as I filled in the forms together when cheating husband left, but what about the others?).

Thank you again for your help, it is very much appreciated

Lisa

lukieboy96

You would need to inform them individually. Housing benefit and council are the same place.