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Has anyone had Tax Credit problems with a child continuing education?

I advised both CHB and CTC, back in June, that my eldest would be staying on at college after his GCSEs. At the time I was told by the CTC advisor that there would be no change in my payments, that it would just roll over.

Today however, my CTC payment was over £50 short, and when I phoned, I was told that while they know he's staying on, the system can't accept advance notice of changes, and that now my award had automatically changed (removed eldest due to age), the system would pick up the continuing education and send out a new award within a few weeks (quoted 2 weeks by one, 4 by another).

But apparently that's all ok because I'll get the money back-paid - not as a lump sum though, but spread over the remaining payments instead.

Very annoyed as this leaves me significantly short - it's meant I couldn't start paying off his course fees today as planned (thankfully the college was understanding and are still letting him start the course next week), can't afford his monthly bus pass next week (will end up spending about 2-3 times what I should in weekly passes), and I won't be able to get his course-specific kit until after he's started.

If they'd just said back in June that this was how the system worked, I could have squeezed the interim budget accordingly. (We didn't know all the costs involved with his course until last week, and his known items weren't bought earlier as I was kitting his younger brothers out, whose term starts 2 week earlier than his).
DFW Nerd no. 884 - Proud to [strike]be dealing with[/strike] have dealt with my debts
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Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,323 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 1 September 2017 pm30 4:23PM
    I think what you are talking about is if you have a child over 16, and they are in further education, their Tax Credits are stopped for a couple of weeks (they stop at the end of August and don't start again until he actively is in college again and you tell them this). Yes this means you lose a couple of weeks money at the start and you won't get it back in a lump sum. And yes it does happen at the worst time, when they've just started college and you are paying the initial costs.

    But I am afraid there is nothing you can do. Its just how it was changed quite a few years ago. God knows why.

    The first time it happened I was stuck, afterwards I made sure to keep money in the bank to cover those costs without Tax credits being paid initially.

    If your son is of an age to qualify for tax credits while in education, you shouldn't be paying tuition fees however.
  • Happens every year.
  • clairec79
    clairec79 Posts: 2,512 Forumite
    I was told this as well - however as I then have one less child on the claim I don't get anything until it gets reassessed when they put it back on (I'm hoping they don't actually close the claim)
  • pipkin71
    pipkin71 Posts: 21,821 Forumite
    Out of interest, why do you have to pay college fees? My eldest stayed in education until age 19 and didn't have to pay for her course so I wondered if things had changed in the last two years :)
    There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you - Beatrix Potter
  • Thanks for all your replies - looks like it's something I'll just have to work around each time.

    The fees are for admin and course materials/transport costs - for the ID badge, transports costs to another site for part of their course, off site days (it's an engineering course, so about once a term they get to go to factories etc - one visit is a behind the scenes at Drayton Manor to see how it all works). It's a reasonable fee to be honest - £80 for the whole year, but it is supposed to be paid up front before they officially become an enrolled student rather than just an applicant. It's not the only college to ask for fees on enrollment around here - I'll admit I was surprised the first time it came up, I never paid for my a-levels, but I just assumed things had changed since then.
    DFW Nerd no. 884 - Proud to [strike]be dealing with[/strike] have dealt with my debts
  • pipkin71
    pipkin71 Posts: 21,821 Forumite
    Thanks for all your replies - looks like it's something I'll just have to work around each time.

    The fees are for admin and course materials/transport costs - for the ID badge, transports costs to another site for part of their course, off site days (it's an engineering course, so about once a term they get to go to factories etc - one visit is a behind the scenes at Drayton Manor to see how it all works). It's a reasonable fee to be honest - £80 for the whole year, but it is supposed to be paid up front before they officially become an enrolled student rather than just an applicant. It's not the only college to ask for fees on enrollment around here - I'll admit I was surprised the first time it came up, I never paid for my a-levels, but I just assumed things had changed since then.

    I did wonder if they had changed since my eldest finished but perhaps it is course dependent? £80 is pretty reasonable though. Hopefully you will manage until your award is updated :) Good luck to your son with his studies, as well :)
    There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you - Beatrix Potter
  • pipkin71
    pipkin71 Posts: 21,821 Forumite
    Another thought, and I don't know if it's possible but, if you're classed as a low income family (I don't know your circumstances), would the fees be something that could be claimed back afterwards?
    There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you - Beatrix Potter
  • We've been told we should get some level of bursary assistance, but, and this is my own fault, I can't find my last tax credits paperwork to prove income, so we can't access it until I find it.
    DFW Nerd no. 884 - Proud to [strike]be dealing with[/strike] have dealt with my debts
  • pipkin71
    pipkin71 Posts: 21,821 Forumite
    We've been told we should get some level of bursary assistance, but, and this is my own fault, I can't find my last tax credits paperwork to prove income, so we can't access it until I find it.

    Is it possible to ask Tax Credits to send you a copy?
    There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you - Beatrix Potter
  • CTC said a new award notice will be produced because of the change, so there is one in the pipeline
    DFW Nerd no. 884 - Proud to [strike]be dealing with[/strike] have dealt with my debts
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