Pregnant 16 year old - benefits

Morglin

pipkin71 wrote: »

Thanks Lin.

My friend will let school know as her daughter is suffering terribly with morning sickness and she has to take GCSEs when she returns after the Easter break.

Hopefully they will be of some help, even if for just the short time the girl is on their register.

Yeah, I think they are helpful, and it's nothing they haven't dealt with before, I expect, and if she is taking her GCSE's at the same time as getting morning sickness, the school needs to be aware of this anyway.

I don't know if the boy goes to the same school, but if he does, it maybe that the school can offer support to the pair of them, and then refer them to other youth support agencies when they leave school.

Lin

flashnazia

BigJockKnew wrote: »

And the cycle continues...

Indeed. I was tempted to check the figures on entitled to but I won't as I know it will upset me.
Be irresponsible and the taxpayer will support you. Anyone would think there was no such thing as contraception. Well who needs it when there's child tax credits to be claimed....

Morglin

flashnazia wrote: »

Indeed. I was tempted to check the figures on entitled to but I won't as I know it will upset me.
Be irresponsible and the taxpayer will support you. Anyone would think there was no such thing as contraception. Well who needs it when there's child tax credits to be claimed....

Oh, well, those of us that have had teenagers, and lived to tell the tale, know full well that teenagers can lack forward thinking, and that surging hormones turn their brains to jelly.....:eek:

So, it's fairly pointless for taxpayers to keep moaning about who they are 'keeping' - the girl needs financial support, as does the baby, and I don't mind my taxes paying for it.

Lin

pipkin71

Flugelhorn wrote: »

she has to stay in education now until she is 17 or the end of year 12 or whaever - has recently changed. My DD is in year 12 and is the first year who have to either be at school, college or in an apprenticeship.

My eldest is year 12 and yes, she was the first year who have to stay in education, training or an apprenticeship until 17.

My youngest [year 10] has to stay in one of the above until 18. Not sure how it affects my friend's daughter, who is now year 11.

This is one of the reasons there has been a confusion with regards benefits.

RuthnJasper

Morglin wrote: »

It us the real world of today's employment situation, especially where young people are concerned!

Lin :whistle:

Apologies for sounding a bit "Judge Judy", but if the boy is old enough to make a baby then he is old enough to face the responsibility. He really ought to be encouraged to take an evening or weekend job so that he can help out. Even if it's only a pack of nappies and some wipes per week, that's still something.

Pipkin, your friend and her daughter might find some useful advice and support here - http://www.nct.org.uk/ (National Childbirth Trust).

Hope all will be OK. x

pipkin71

Morglin wrote: »

Yeah, I think they are helpful, and it's nothing they haven't dealt with before, I expect, and if she is taking her GCSE's at the same time as getting morning sickness, the school needs to be aware of this anyway.

I don't know if the boy goes to the same school, but if he does, it maybe that the school can offer support to the pair of them, and then refer them to other youth support agencies when they leave school.

Lin

No, he doesn't go to the same school as my friend's daughter.

I don't know much about him so no idea if they will make a go of things. I hope they do for the baby's sake.

northerntwo1

It's better financially and practically for the 16 year old to claim. However, from experience this can give problems. If the 16 year old claims the money is hers. The income support and child benefits are hers to do as she she sees fit. That includes buying baby a £50 pair of shies before they can even walk that lasts 2 weeks.

That's the biggest issue, giving someone so young a large amount of money and control over that. Once they claim the grandparents have less control over how they spend it.

So it's more money for 16 year old and often more practical as so ep support depends on evidence if benefits - care to learn for example asks for CB award and although can be worked around it's not as straight forward.

Downside I see as said is when the young parent gets high benefits their outlook on life changes and they make unwise decisions that cause friction between grandparents/child. It's something to consider how the grandmother would feel about giving complete control of over £150 a week to a 16 year old.

Including moving out to be with boyfriend and the fact that they will see the money as partly theirs to spend on baby.

pipkin71

RuthnJasper wrote: »

Pipkin, your friend and her daughter might find some useful advice and support here - http://www.nct.org.uk/ (National Childbirth Trust).

Hope all will be OK. x

Thanks.

I will pass it on

pipkin71

northerntwo1 wrote: »

It's better financially and practically for the 16 year old to claim. However, from experience this can give problems. If the 16 year old claims the money is hers. The income support and child benefits are hers to do as she she sees fit. That includes buying baby a £50 pair of shies before they can even walk that lasts 2 weeks.

That's the biggest issue, giving someone so young a large amount of money and control over that. Once they claim the grandparents have less control over how they spend it.

So it's more money for 16 year old and often more practical as so ep support depends on evidence if benefits - care to learn for example asks for CB award and although can be worked around it's not as straight forward.

Downside I see as said is when the young parent gets high benefits their outlook on life changes and they make unwise decisions that cause friction between grandparents/child. It's something to consider how the grandmother would feel about giving complete control of over £150 a week to a 16 year old.

Including moving out to be with boyfriend and the fact that they will see the money as partly theirs to spend on baby.

Am I right in thinking that the daughter would not get housing benefit, if she was to move out, due to her age?

northerntwo1

pipkin71 wrote: »

Am I right in thinking that the daughter would not get housing benefit, if she was to move out, due to her age?

No she'd be entitled if estranged and claiming income support. Social services would have some involvement but yes she can claim.