Money
Benefits
- School leavers
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income support
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
- Tax credit
- Carers allowance
The whole area of benefits for young people can be really complicated & confusing!
Entitled to is a useful site if you want to know what benefits you will be entitled to and how to calculate what you should get. It will ask a series of questions, keep a running log of your answers before doing a calculation.
Basically, most 16 & 17 year olds aren't entitled to many benefits. Young people are expected either to be supported by parents, or be in education, full time employment or some sort of training. If you are in education or training you may be entitled to Education Maintenance Allowance.
Depending on your circumstances you may be able to qualify for some benefits, so it's always best to check with a Youth Adviser if you think you might be eligible. This is particularly relevant for 16 - 17 year olds who don’t live at home, have been in care or are on a training programme.
When a young person leaves school they are not entitled to claim any benefits if they are living at home. However, parents can claim Child Benefit (CHB) for 20 wks after the official school leaving date. This is called the child benefit extension period.
If a young person does not complete Further Education, but leaves part way though course, parents can also claim Child Benefit for 20 wks.
After 20 weeks the Child Benefit payments will stop and no benefits are due to either the parents or the young person, as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) expects parents to support them or the young person to find work and support themselves.
The more information you can give an adviser about your situation and finanical circumstances, the easier it will be for them to judge what you're eligible for.
Once you reach 18, the normal rules for adults apply. If you are unemployed and available for work you can claim Jobseekers Allowance. If you’re not available for work because you are disabled, too sick to work or a single parent, you would receive Income Support. In order to claim either of these benefits, you must go to your local Jobcentre Plus office or you can ring their benefits helpline on 0845 602 6710. You can also speak to them about other benefits you might be entitled to.
JSA is a benefit open to most people over the age of 18 who are unemployed but looking for work. You could also be eligible if you have a job and work less than 16 hours a week. The amount you receive will depend on your age and circumstances. Visit Direct Gov for up to date information.
If you are 16 or 17, you will only be able to claim JSA in exceptional circumstances such as estrangement from your family leading to severe hardship. If this is the case, contact your local Job Centre. If you are single, you will get £35.65 a week.
If you do claim JSA because of estrangement, remember that the more information you give Jobcentre Plus about the breakdown of your family relationship, the quicker they can make a decision. You can also ask another adult who knows about your situation to go with you to your interview, and your parents won't be told about your meeting unless you want them to be.
How to claim JSA
Register with Connexions for training and work and we will complete a form ES9 with you. Take the form ES9 to the Jobcentre and they will draw up a Jobseeker’s Agreement (form ES7) with you. You sign to agree what kind of work and training you are looking for and the ‘steps’ you will take to find it. You must take at least 3 ‘steps’ a week, of which at least one must be looking for work and one for training.
Can I still claim benefit if I don't fit into any of the circumstances above?
You may still be able to get JSA if you are suffering "severe hardship". The most common reason for claiming is because you live away from home for a ‘good reason' and have little or no money, or live at home but your family cannot support you. When you apply for a Severe Hardship Payment you will have an interview with an under 18 advisor at the Job Centre. You should mention if you have any health problems, difficulties at home, or whether you will become homeless if you don't receive a payment.
Claim in the same way as for ordinary JSA but make sure you tell them that you are claiming under the Severe Hardship rules.
"Severe hardship" payments are paid for short periods of up to 16 weeks at a time and at the same rate as ordinary JSA.
What counts as living away from home for a "good reason?"
One of the following would be a good reason for being away from home:
• You have no living parent(s) or anyone acting as your parent(s)
• You have been in care
• You are living away from home because you were in danger there
• You don't get on with your parent(s) and can no longer live with them.
You may be asked why you don't live at home, why you can't return and for permission to contact your family in order to check your story. You cannot be forced to give your permission, but if you don't you may be refused benefit. If you don't want your family to be contacted, a person in a responsible position who knows your circumstances can give evidence that supports your reasons for not living at home. Suitable people could be an advice worker, social worker, hostel worker, or someone else from a recognised organisation.
Making a claim
For many people, claiming benefits can seem a little daunting. The first thing to do is phone the Department for Work & Pensions Benefit Helpline on 0800 055 6688. All advisers will be able to help you find out what you're entitled to and guide you through filling in a claim form.
If you're 16 or 17, someone will call you back within 4 hours to discuss your situation, and if you're 18 or over, an adviser will contact you within 24 hours. Remember that the more information you can give an adviser about your personal situation and financial circumstances, the easier it will be for them to judge what you're eligible for.
If you can't be available for full-time work and don't have enough money to live on, you may be able to get Income Support benefit. You are eligible if you are a lone parent, registered sick or disabled, if you are a student and sick or disabled, if you are a carer for someone who is sick or elderly and if you aren't working or work less than 16 hours a week. How much you get varies on your circumstances, and it is paid directly into your bank account.
Income Support is a benefit for people on a low income to help them pay for their day-to-day living costs. If you're over 16 and unable to work because you're a lone parent, a parent who has to stay home and look after your children, registered as a disabled person, or you're responsible for the care of a relative who is disabled you may be eligible for Income Support.
If you're a university student, on a training course or in full time education, you'll only be able to qualify under special circumstances. In this instance, any part-time work you take on may mean you lose your entitlement to Income Support.
If you're getting Education Maintenance Allowance, this will not affect your Income Support claim.
You can usually claim Income Support only if you are 18 or over. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you may get Income Support if you:-
• have a child or are pregnant
• are on certain kinds of training course.
Being entitled to Income Support will also depend on whether you are still at school or live with your parents. 16 or 17 year olds who have been in care cannot usually get Income Support, but there are exceptions. Lone parents who have been in care can get the benefit.
Income Support personal allowances for single people under 18 for 2009/2010 is £50.95
Housing Benefit is for those who have a low income and are struggling to pay rent. There is nothing to stop a young person claiming Housing Benefit, but the amount you can get if you are a single person aged under 25 with no children is restricted. You can only get Housing Benefit for bed-sit accommodation or a room in shared accommodation. You cannot get Housing Benefit if you're living with your parents or other close relatives and paying rent to them.
Housing Benefit is paid by your local authority regardless of whether you are available for, or in, full time work. It may not cover the full amount of rent you are paying. If you are living in accommodation as a single person, the maximum Housing Benefit you can get is the 'Average Local Reference Rent' for a bedsit. This means the maximum you can get is enough to cover the average priced bedsit in your area. Often if your accommodation costs more, you have to make up the difference yourself. And it doesn't cover bills. It's paid directly into your bank account or direct to the landlord. Forms are available from your local authority Housing Department.
Council Tax Benefit is to help pay some or all of your Council Tax for those on a low income. The local council pays it and it doesn't matter if you get other benefits or if you already get a discount for living alone. To qualify you need to be on a fairly low income and have less than £16,000 in savings.
Full-time students don't usually have to pay Council Tax.
Social Fund
The Social Fund helps people on a low income pay for one-off expenses which they would not otherwise be able to afford.
As a young person, you may be able to claim a crisis loan from the Social Fund if there is an emergency and you are unable to pay for your immediate needs. You do not have to be receiving any other benefits to be able to claim.
You may be able to get financial help for some unexpected payments if you're already claiming Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and some other benefits. These include:
• budgeting loans
• crisis loans
• maternity grants if you're having a baby
You may be able to claim Carer's Allowance if you are 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the same relative, friend or neighbour who themselves claims certain other benefits.
Page updated: Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:52 PM
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