Break in education, home education and Child tax credits/Child benefit.

CakeCrusader

My son's 17 and he's in his last year of his A'Levels at school (due to leave in June). Unfortunately, he's been suffering with depression, and anxiety for the past year, but he's showing no signs of improving and his school work is suffering and he's withdrawn at school. His school has said that if he doesn't improve by Christmas they will ask him to leave or take time out. This isn't a helpful thing to say to a depressed teenager, so he's decided that he doesn't want to go back after half term. We've chatted, and he's asked to be home educated for the rest of the academic year, and he's planning on taking the time to focus on getting better (he's due to start counselling next week), and he's going to find a college place next September to carry on with his A'Levels (he's aware that he may need to start them again because of the changes to the exams).

I'm not sure what will happen to his child benefit and his child tax credits. He'll be doing home study at home, going to therapy and I'll help him to catch up with the things that he's missed at school so this should be the same as full time study. I can only find info saying we'll be able to receive child tax credits as long as he started being home educated before he turned 16, and nothing about what happens if a child needs to take a break from school for health reasons. Will they stop while he's at home, and then continue if/when he returns to college next year, or will they carry on?

If anyone could help, I'd be really grateful.

Darksparkle

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/tax-credits-technical-manual/tctm02230

CakeCrusader

Darksparkle wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/tax-credits-technical-manual/tctm02230

Thank you!!