Scrawl

Scrawl

I have a disabled son who gets free transport to school. I have the option now of cancelling the free transport and taking him myself. I will be paid £5000 a year for doing this. Does this count as income as I get working tax credits for working 24hrs a week. It may also mean I pay more tax.

tomtontom

You're getting paid to take your own child to school? For what reason would this attract payment, and roughly £25 a day?

Guest101

I expect an epidemic of busted kneecaps and a national shortage of wheelchairs to follow....


- I too am interested in why.
- and the answer of it's cheaper to pay the OP £5k than it is to pay for transport isn't really sufficient.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

My Council does this. It works out cheaper than providing a taxi with a driver and escort to pick up and take home a child.

Guest101

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

My Council does this. It works out cheaper than providing a taxi with a driver and escort to pick up and take home a child.

But if the parent is able to get the child to and from school, then the taxi was not ever required? So what's the payment for?


<I said that excuse wouldn't be sufficient >

Stevie_Palimo

Blimey and we wonder why theres a lack of money to go round when councils blow vast amounts on stupid things, It would be cheaper to have its own minibus or coach and a driver plus extra person on board than offer such payments on a individual basis, I bet the council in this area has at least another 50 or so in a similar position thus costing 250k plus a year, Yet a wage paid x 2 and a minibus could be had at a fraction of this amount.

NYM

Don't be mean people.

Children with special needs often attend special schools and it's entirely possible that the school is some distance from the child's home.

£130 odd a week sounds a lot but I'm certain that a private hire vehicle, driver and sometimes a carer, would cost considerably more.

To answer the OP question about 'income' for TC purposes though, I haven't a clue.

giddypenguin

FGS we had a similar thread before where OP faced a barrage of judgement about this.

It's a simple question, my answer is to ask HMRC rather than (sometimes rude/mean) strangers on the internet.

I assume the council have offered this for a reason. perhaps the child has special needs and therefore - due to previous cuts - has to travel ridiculous mileage to and from school, previously - maybe due to work commitments it was impossible for OP to do this commute - but now circumstances have changed

But really it's none of your business. Don't judge OP, be nice.

tomtontom

NYM wrote: »

Don't be mean people.

Children with special needs often attend special schools and it's entirely possible that the school is some distance from the child's home.

£130 odd a week sounds a lot but I'm certain that a private hire vehicle, driver and sometimes a carer, would cost considerably more.

To answer the OP question about 'income' for TC purposes though, I haven't a clue.

Indeed, a private hire vehicle would cost more, but there's generally an expectation that a parent will get their child to school without being paid to do so.

It would make sense if, for instance, the OP needs to employ a second person to assist with the child's needs. It doesn't make sense if it is solely for her to take her child to school (and quite possibly in a Motability provided vehicle).

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Go to your County Council website (or local Council if a Unitary Authority) they will have the qualifying criteria for free school transport. Each Council might have different criteria.

Poppie68

People are being judgemental and imo downright horrible to the op(newbie) when it's the people that make these decisions should be the target.
The op is just taking what's offered, I don't expect any of you would turn down any financial help the state offered you?