Universal credit child element end date

Chicken_Dippers49

Daughter turns 18 in August. Just wondering when the child element of universal credit will stop. She is starting university in september.

michaels

With tax credits I think it was the end of August on the year they finish school/college (assuming they finish in the summer term)

Newcad

From the guidance online: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-your-family-quick-guide/universal-credit-further-information-for-families#support-for-children

Universal Credit will include this additional amount for your children until:

• the end of August following each child’s 16th birthday, or
• the end of August after their 19th birthday for each child still living at home and in eligible education or training

Eligible education or training means they’re either:

• enrolled on a course for more than 12 hours a week during term time, and studying for qualifications like GCSEs, A levels, BTEC, Scottish Highers, SVQ or NVQ up to level 3
• accepted on approved training (check with the training provider if you’re not sure)

If you are saying that at Uni she will no longer be in 'eligible education or training' then from that the CE should end at the end of August.

Note that changes in UC usually apply from the start of the AP in which the change happens, and I don't think this is one of the exceptions to that, so your last UC payment before the end of August (well technically before Sept 7th as payments are made a week after you AP ends) should be the last one with a CE for her.

Yamor

HMRC (for tax credits) allowed the child to stay on until 31st August if they were continuing in full time education, even if that was going to be advanced education.

However, UC do not allow this, so once they finish their course, and will only be going on to advanced education in the next year (as appears to be the case here), then the child element will be removed from the start of the AP in which their course ends.

michaels

Yamor said:

HMRC (for tax credits) allowed the child to stay on until 31st August if they were continuing in full time education, even if that was going to be advanced education.

However, UC do not allow this, so once they finish their course, and will only be going on to advanced education in the next year (as appears to be the case here), then the child element will be removed from the start of the AP in which their course ends.

Do you think that would be the date of the last exam or some other date?

Chicken_Dippers49

What is classed as the last day of her course. Is it the day of her last exam or is it results day?.

Newcad

Newcad said:

• the end of August after their 19th birthday for each child still living at home and in eligible education or training

I did wonder about that wording,
it's not clear if for it to apply means that they must still be in eligible education on their 19th birthday, or still be in eligible education at the end of August.

(Neither of which would seem to apply here anyway).

However I was then, wrongly, thinking the rules for Child Benefit where the benefit runs on after the end of any eligible course until the end of February, 31 May, 31 August or 30 November whichever comes first.

I should have taken the time to dig deeper into just how that course end is treated in UC.

If the Uni course is not 'eligible education' then UC Child Element ends at the start of the AP when the eligible course ends.

If the Uni course is 'eligible education' then because that course hadn't started before age 19 the cut-off point for UC CE would be the end of August.
(Note that If the Uni course is 'eligible education' and had started before age 19 then the UC CE could continue to age 20).

michaels

Yamor said:

HMRC (for tax credits) allowed the child to stay on until 31st August if they were continuing in full time education, even if that was going to be advanced education.

However, UC do not allow this, so once they finish their course, and will only be going on to advanced education in the next year (as appears to be the case here), then the child element will be removed from the start of the AP in which their course ends.

Do we have any definition of what the course end date is though, for example for A levels?  Thanks

Newcad

A course end date would be whatever date the educational establishment providing the course says that it is.

If you are asking about exams then:

My personal view is that exams are seperate and not a part of any course itself.
I'd be quite surprised if the DWP didn't take the same view.

You can do a course without sitting any exam at the end of it.
Conversely you can sit an exam without having done any 'recognised' course at all. (Self taught for example).

R200

I’m trying to work out which is better off.

option 1. Child starts their own UC claim after finishing A levels while waiting to see if going into work, Uni or apprenticeship. Then contributing towards rent and keep at home.

option 2. Continue parents getting UC if still in full time ed.

which is better for the household?

NedS

Yamor said:

HMRC (for tax credits) allowed the child to stay on until 31st August if they were continuing in full time education, even if that was going to be advanced education.

However, UC do not allow this, so once they finish their course, and will only be going on to advanced education in the next year (as appears to be the case here), then the child element will be removed from the start of the AP in which their course ends.

For UC, this is correct, as they are no longer enrolled in or accepted on to a non-advanced course of education once their course officially ends (in July).

So they must declare a change for the child the day after the course officially ends, which for most is normally around this weekend. The educational establishment can provide the official course end date.