Can i continue to claim income support for my daughter.

sue19644

My 16 year old daughter has left school and is going to get a job where she is contracted for 6 hours a week. She is also doing a nvq in cooking at where she works.
we are getting income support for her but her child benefit has just stopped this week.
Seeing as she only works 6 hours a week can we still claim income support for her or can she do it herself.
I'm not really sure how it works anymore since the law changed about them staying at school until they are 18 unless they get a job and train at the same time which she has done. But obviously she can't live on 6 hours a week wages. The wages she will get are £30 a week.

Any help will be very appreciated, thanks.

pmlindyloo

Are you sure you are claiming income support for her? If so, on what basis?

sue19644

Yes we are claiming income support for her as i am disabled and can't work and my husband is my carer.

sue19644

No never always income support.

pmlindyloo

Have found something that may help.

Does this apply to you?

Claimants who were getting Income Support for their dependent children before 8 September 2005 can continue to do so until the children are no longer dependent
or the Income Support claim stops.
You must include dependent children on the claim form but you won't be paid any
allowances or premiums for them.

If it does then I suggest that you ring both Child Benefit and Income Support and tell them the details of your daughter's work and training and see if this qualifies you to continue to claim for your daughter as a dependent.

I am sorry but I don't know the rules for the pre 2008 claims for disability.

sue19644

Our claim has never changed to tax credits, no idea why not. I thought the same, that the income support will stop the same as the child benefit has. So i'm expecting that to stop next week. But as we are on benefits due to being disabled and she is 16 and on contracted hours of 6 a week and only getting £30 a week i was just wondering what help she can get as she won't be able to live on that much.

HappyMJ

sue19644 wrote: »

Our claim has never changed to tax credits, no idea why not. I thought the same, that the income support will stop the same as the child benefit has. So i'm expecting that to stop next week. But as we are on benefits due to being disabled and she is 16 and on contracted hours of 6 a week and only getting £30 a week i was just wondering what help she can get as she won't be able to live on that much.

She won't get any help as far as I am aware. She can't claim job seekers allowance. She can't claim income support and in any case it's only £57.90 a week anyway and it's just a top up. She'll have to look for more work. She needs £57.90 a week to bring it up to income support levels so another £27.90 a week. At minimum wages of £3.87 a hour for an under 18 year old she'll need to find another 7.5 hours of work a week.

pebbles88

sue19644 wrote: »

Our claim has never changed to tax credits, no idea why not. I thought the same, that the income support will stop the same as the child benefit has. So i'm expecting that to stop next week. But as we are on benefits due to being disabled and she is 16 and on contracted hours of 6 a week and only getting £30 a week i was just wondering what help she can get as she won't be able to live on that much.

Her family are expected to support her.
Run your details through entitled to, it'll give you an estimate of what you are eligible to continue to receive. Make sure you report your change of circs to the Dwp

pmlindyloo

Are you claiming PIP/DLA? If so at which rates? Is your husband claiming Carer's Allowance for you?

I would seriously considering getting a benefit check up from CAB or a welfare advisor as your losing part of your IS because your daughter is no longer a dependant may 'trigger' your transfer to ESA.
if you are receiving the appropriate PIP/DLA you may be better off financially with your husband claiming Carer's Allowance nad Income Support as a couple.

As well as this your daughter needs to consider doing a course at a further education college and getting a part time job at the weekends. This would then mean you could claim Child Benefit and Child Tax Credits if you were receiving Income Support based on your husband claiming Carer's Allowance.

Go and get some professional advice.