Pregnant 16 year old - benefits

pipkin71

I have had a search but am finding conflicting information so hoping someone can help.

Right, my friend's daughter has just discovered that she is pregnant. She's in her final year at school but will have finished year 11 by the time the baby is due.

From what my friend has said, her daughter will not be able to claim benefits in her own right, due to her age. She does have a place at college so will her mum continue to claim tax credits for her daughter? Would this mean that she would have to claim benefits for her grandchild, when it is born?

Also, she has another two children at home and claims benefits for them, as well as herself, as she is a single parent. If she claimed for the grandchild, this would likely take her over the benefit cap limit, which, I assume would apply, even though a change in claim was due to the grandchild.

As my friend has already claimed the maternity grant for her youngest child, and her daughter is not claiming any qualifying benefits to apply for the maternity grant herself, would my friend apply on her behalf or would she not be entitled to claim this again, due to it being a once only claim?

Basically, can the 16 year old claim anything or does my friend have to claim?

Can she claim the maternity grant?

Will the benefit cap apply in this situation?

Thanks for any help with this situation. My friend just doesn't know where to turn right now

Indie_Kid

You can claim benefits at 16 if you have a child for whom you're responsible for. If you have a child, your parents can't then claim child benefits for you.

pipkin71

Indie_Kid wrote: »

You can claim benefits at 16 if you have a child for whom you're responsible for. If you have a child, your parents can't then claim child benefits for you.

So will the daughter claim child tax credits, child benefit and income support at 16?

What happens if she goes to college?

Once she claims these, I assume then, that any benefits the mum is claiming for her daughter, are then stopped and she will just claim for her younger two.

tomtontom

No way to put this tactfully, but has she taken advice as to all her options?

pipkin71

tomtontom wrote: »

No way to put this tactfully, but has she taken advice as to all her options?

They have discussed abortion but the daughter has said she wishes to keep the baby.

My friend would prefer it if she didn't keep it but it's not her choice to make.

POPPYOSCAR

[QUOTE=tomtontom;65307854]No way to put this tactfully, but has she taken advice as to all her options?[/QUOTE]


I wondered how long it would take.

Tigsteroonie

tomtontom wrote: »

No way to put this tactfully, but has she taken advice as to all her options?

POPPYOSCAR wrote: »

I wondered how long it would take.

Actually, I would have asked the same - except that this is Pipkin posting, so presumed that other options had already been discussed and a decision reached before she posted!

Big_Tree

And the cycle continues...

pipkin71

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Actually, I would have asked the same - except that this is Pipkin posting, so presumed that other options had already been discussed and a decision reached before she posted!

They had discussed this, prior to me posting, but I knew it was a question likely to come up.

My friend would prefer her daughter not to keep the baby, due to her age but she wishes to keep it so now they need to figure a way forward.

We have found conflicting information as we both read that her daughter can not claim benefits at age 16 but is that just for herself and she can claim for the baby, or can she still claim for herself?

Indie_Kid

pipkin71 wrote: »

So will the daughter claim child tax credits, child benefit and income support at 16?

What happens if she goes to college?

Once she claims these, I assume then, that any benefits the mum is claiming for her daughter, are then stopped and she will just claim for her younger two.

From gov.uk :
Also, you qualify if you’re age 19 or younger, in full-time secondary education (including A levels) and one of the following:

• a parent
• not living with a parent or someone acting as a parent
• a refugee learning English

You can also qualify up until the age of 21 if you’re one of the above, are orphaned or estranged from your parents and enrolled in education.

If the daughter goes on to further education, there's also the 16-19 bursary and care to learn fund

EDIT:
At 16, most young people can't claim benefits in their own rights, unless they're a parent themselves, estranged from their parents or are disabled.

northerntwo1

You certainly can claim and sadly it's not that uncommon

She needs to seek advice as to stay in education.