Changing From Parent's Child Tax Credits and Child Benefit to ESA

ComeTheRevolution

How does a 19 year old switch from their parent receiving CTC and CB to their own ESA claim, please? It looks as though the parent's claims have to stop first, leaving no income for the child while ESA is decided? Nightmare for family in straightened circumstances if this runs into more than a fortnight. The young person concerned has become ill and is unable to continue to participate in college fully and is covered at the moment by sick notes. They are also waiting for PIP claim forms which appear to have been lost by the snail (they couldn't process via phone), Special Rules won't apply and it looks likely ESA wouldn't be approved until PIP has been awarded? If anyone knows the correct sequence of events I'd be much obliged.

Indie_Kid

Is the 19 year old in full time non-advanced education? If so, the parents should still be able to claim CTC for them. I think it's up to 20 the parents can claim, as long as it's full-time non-advanced education.

pmlindyloo

Indie_Kid wrote: »

Is the 19 year old in full time non-advanced education? If so, the parents should still be able to claim CTC for them. I think it's up to 20 the parents can claim, as long as it's full-time non-advanced education.

Agree with this.

If you are saying that the 19 year old wants to continue at college and claim ESA in their own right then they can't do this unless they have been awarded PIP.

Whilst they are waiting for PIP best for the parents to continue claiming.

Or have I misunderstood?

ComeTheRevolution

Thanks for the answers, the student is not well enough to continue at college.

pmlindyloo

ComeTheRevolution wrote: »

Thanks for the answers, the student is not well enough to continue at college.

In that case then you are right and the parents must end their claim for tax credits and child benefit before the young person can claim ESA.

They need to make sure that the student is no longer enrolled in college and get a letter from college saying when they left.

Tax credits and child benefit will stop from that point.

The young person puts in a claim for ESA asking for it to be backdated to the date they left college. You can apply for ESA without needing to have qualified for PIP - that is only needed if you are at college. The young person will need fit notes to be able to claim ESA.

No one can say for certain how long the claim should take - two weeks are the guidelines.

Whether a young person starts working/claims a benefit when they leave college there will always be a gap where no money is coming in.

pmlindyloo

Just to add as regards PIP. There is a qualifying period in that the claimant needs to have had their medical 'condition' for 3 months before claiming (will need medical evidence of this) and be expected to continue having the medical condition for a minimum of 9 months.

Just a 'heads up'.

ComeTheRevolution

Thank you. Yes, there was confusion with the ESA only being possible if they had PIP and were still a student. Looks clearer now.