What happens when your child gets to 16?

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

Hoping someone can help - or point me in the right direction for advice. My eldest gets DLA at higher rate care and lower rate mobility. I know this will end when he is 16 next October and he will be assessed for PIP. My question is what happens to tax credits and when?

He isnt currently in full time education because he isnt well enough and I dont know how this impacts on tax credits either.

OH and I both work but our income isnt great. I had to give up my well paid job so that I could combine work with caring.

Any info would be gratefully received as although its a long way off it would be nice to be prepared.

Indie_Kid

According to the HMRC website, he has to be in education after 16 to claim tax credits for him.

Another option for him is to claim ESA. But I seem to remember that this is less than tax credits.

toomuchinfo

My son turned 16 this year, we had to tell Tax Credits that he was staying in education, on an approved course and where he was studying.
He is in a Special School on a life skills course. He gets DLA like your son does.

If your son isn't going to enrol on a course post 16 then I think the poster above was right in suggesting ESA.

YORKSHIRELASS

blondebubbles wrote: »

He will continue to be entitled to child tax until 31st august following his 16th birthday.

When you say he isn't in education do you mean he is enrolled at school but just not attending due to sickness?

Yes thats right. He was referred to the Out of School Education team attached to the secondary school and has to have a referral from his consultant every six months to keep this in place. This placement comes to an end when he reaches school leaving age and after that we have no idea what he will do.

We have been looking at part time college courses but it will mean a 50 mile round trip to get to any of the colleges that run these courses and we are not sure if he will be able to manage that. Its such a worry.

Thanks for the bit about tax credits running up to the following August. At least that means for the 2014/15 tax year nothing should change.

YORKSHIRELASS

Oh but then thinking about it - if his DLA ends in October then we will lose the extra tax credits for having a disabled child. So surely this will affect our tax credits for next year?

I think I need to ring them and ask!

toomuchinfo

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Oh but then thinking about it - if his DLA ends in October then we will lose the extra tax credits for having a disabled child. So surely this will affect our tax credits for next year?

I think I need to ring them and ask!

His DLA will change to PIP so you will still get the disabled child tax credits.

YORKSHIRELASS

toomuchinfo wrote: »

His DLA will change to PIP so you will still get the disabled child tax credits.

Thank you, again I didnt know that. Now all we have to do is hope that he does get PIP, which he should be entitled to.

Dunroamin

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Yes thats right. He was referred to the Out of School Education team attached to the secondary school and has to have a referral from his consultant every six months to keep this in place. This placement comes to an end when he reaches school leaving age and after that we have no idea what he will do.

We have been looking at part time college courses but it will mean a 50 mile round trip to get to any of the colleges that run these courses and we are not sure if he will be able to manage that. Its such a worry.

Thanks for the bit about tax credits running up to the following August. At least that means for the 2014/15 tax year nothing should change.

Don't forget that his "school leaving age" is now 18.

https://www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

YORKSHIRELASS

Dunroamin wrote: »

Don't forget that his "school leaving age" is now 18.

https://www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

Thank you, good point, I hadnt thought about that. This is something I need to discuss with the out of school team when we next have a meeting.