End of A levels

eazy11

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated:
I recently migrated from Tax credits to UC. My eldest son is 18 and is due to finish his second year of A levels on 5th July 24(he has already finished his exams but this is the end of term date), and would be taking a year out before starting university. Do I to inform UC of his end of further education or is he automatically taken off my claim at end of August as in old tax credits.
He would be looking for a job for the year out, but If he were to claim for UC himself, when can he start the claim.

StevieDavison

You should complete change of circumstance with you online UC account and inform them of any change. The sooner your son makes a claim online and then provides his ID at the job centre the better, any monies awarded will be backdated to the date he made the claim online. 

gbhxu

They will say that Child Benefit will be paid until the first week in September, so your son won't be able to claim UC until then.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6536195/uc-after-a-levels#latest

huckster

Yes normally 18 year old cannot claim until 1st September in their own name.

On your own claim, you will have to report change that your Son is no longer in education. For the assessment period where end of August is included  you report change of circumstances advising Son is no longer in education, so you no longer get child element for him.

michaels

I thought it was the course end date that matters for UC not the last day of August as it was for CTC?

Newcad

michaels said:

I thought it was the course end date that matters for UC not the last day of August as it was for CTC?

We looked at this recently for another thread.
As usual it's a bit tricky to decipher the guidance - be I concluded that for UC it is when the 'eligible' course ends that matters - unless the child is already 'enrolled' to start another 'eligible' course before age 19.

If they are not 'enrolled' to be starting another 'eligible; course then the UC Child Element ends at the start of the AP when their currrent eligible course ends.

The guidance is: 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)

~~~~~~~~~
(My bolding of those lines).

So when the 'eligible' course ends, and if they are not 'enrolled' on a new course to be started before age 19, then they are no longer "enrolled on a course" so no longer "in eligible education or training" meaning that they no longer count/quailfy for a Child Element to be paid for them at anytime after after the course has ended.

michaels

But who knows when that course end date is?

When study leave starts probably on May?

On the date of the last exam?

On the last day of the school term?

On some other official course end date as declared by the school?

eazy11

Thanks All.

I am going to report this as change of circumstances, but from what date as michaels comment above.

College website says EOT is 5 July, so I will report this on 6th July. Checking my UC account it says the amount I get is based on circumstances from 4 June to 3 July24.

With Tax credits my claim would have been till end of August. I will update what UC says.

Newcad

michaels said:

But who knows when that course end date is?

It is whatever date the educational establishment has said that the course ends.
The start and end dates of a course are set by the educational establishment, or the governing body for the course, and published in advance.

Study leave is 'leave' from the course so you don't have to attend lessons/lectures, it doesn't change the course end date.

Exams are not strictly part of the course, although you often book/pay for exams at the same time as booking/paying for a course because it usually makes sense to do so - but you can do a course of education without sitting any exams, or you can sit exams without attending a course first (self taught).

Many courses have a set term, ie. a start date and an end date.
However that should not to be confused with school terms which are a different thing altogether, simply a way of dividing up the school year.

poppy12345

eazy11 said:

Thanks All.

I am going to report this as change of circumstances, but from what date as michaels comment above.

College website says EOT is 5 July, so I will report this on 6th July. Checking my UC account it says the amount I get is based on circumstances from 4 June to 3 July24.

With Tax credits my claim would have been till end of August. I will update what UC says.

This means your final payment for the child element for them will be 10th July. 

huckster

From what I understand, although a school or college course may end say 5th July, they are still considered a student until end of August.

A few years ago I attended a part-time college course and registered as a student. I was also working at the time. My student registration stated that I was a student until end of August, even though the course ended months before this.

And having dealt with benefits, everything I have been told and also understanding of others I have spoken to, is that it would be end of August.