When To Inform UC About Son Going Back To College?

PeterTheBraveAgain

So last year my son dropped out his course, I informed UC and everything stopped of course. He is 18. 

He was going to do an apprenticeship but that never happened so hasn't done anything since he left the course while considering future options and in the end found a course he wanted to do and could engage with.

He has applied, accepted and enrolled on a new course starting September. When do I inform UC of that?

poppy12345

You should inform them once he starts college, assuming it's full time non advanced education.

mumf

Top tip with UC. ANY change , tell them. Any change at all. 

poppy12345

mumf said:

Top tip with UC. ANY change , tell them. Any change at all. 

The question wasn't " if they should report it" it was when should then report it so they already know it needs to be reported.

PeterTheBraveAgain

Many thanks, yes its a full time non advanced course. Thank you for the quick reply.

NedS

Generally, with UC you cannot report a change until it has actually happened. Anything that requires a date to be input will not allow a date in the future to be entered. It makes sense really, as for any change, it may not actually happen. Your son may change their mind, or any number of other things may happen between now and September.

So as @poppy12345 says, report the change once they start the college course, ideally on the day the course officially starts.

PeterTheBraveAgain

That's the thing, the day they start is the final day of my assessment period.

Certainly don't want to miss out. And want to make sure that the child element is included in Septembers payment.

Spoonie_Turtle

PeterTheBraveAgain said:

That's the thing, the day they start is the final day of my assessment period.

Certainly don't want to miss out. And want to make sure that the child element is included in Septembers payment.

Still report the change on the day.  It's why there's a week between end of assessment period and payment, to give chance for things to be worked out.  You could also send a journal message (under the 'payments' reason) to give it the best chance of it being picked up on time.

And if it's not picked up on time, you won't miss out, it'll still be backpaid to the correct assessment period.

PeterTheBraveAgain

Ok thanks, I know I reported them leaving last year on the last day of the assessment period and the money stopped immediately. Learned a valuable lesson about assessment periods that day I can tell you.

I will report it on the day and also leave a journal message, thank you.

poppy12345

PeterTheBraveAgain said:

Ok thanks, I know I reported them leaving last year on the last day of the assessment period and the money stopped immediately. Learned a valuable lesson about assessment periods that day I can tell you.

Even if he had left earlier than the last day of your AP you still wouldn't have been entitled to the final payment at that time. Had he left the following day then you would have been entitled to that payment.

PeterTheBraveAgain

He did leave the following day, I just at the time was a bit naive about assessment periods and thought I could do it whenever. I thought what difference would a day make.

I know different now!