AIBU to think that charging rent from a child whilst in finL year of A-levels is not on?

[Pony74]

Is this normal? Thank you.

[Tequilashotsfor1]

How do your now they even claim child benefit? We don't .

[Newbrummie]

Ah well that's a bit different then

[Bunbaker]

Yes, child benefit is paid until they complete full time education. The government website states that you need to contact the child benefit office if your child stays in approved education after 16. This doesn't make sense as the government changed the law a couple of years ago, so that now all young people have to stay in education of some form until 18.

[Newbrummie]

I also have to say I know a "child" about to leave education a week before his ALevels who is earning £12.50 an hour and there is nothing his parents can do to make him sit those exams, no doubt they will have to pick the pieces up, but to say they've failed in utter nonsense.

[GobblersKnob]

I paid rent to my mum at 16 when doing A levels, though 16+ ed wasn't compulsory then.

[Newbrummie]

Ok if it's 18 then I assume benefits etc are paid up until then ?

[Bunbaker]

Well said Weebirdie

[Weebirdie]

Newbrummie, you said - I started work at 16

Im now 57 and I think it was my generation who were the last to leave school at 16 with a handful of 'O' Levels and still have 4 or 5 good jobs to chose from for starting work the Monday after leaving school.

I just went for ordinary office junior type jobs and had about 8 to chose from with all of them coming with day release or a night class to attend in order to gain an accounts qualification for eg.

Nowadays letting a child leave school at 16 or 18 without any chance of further education is making sure your grandchildren will be born into the poverty trap.

[Bunbaker]

I kind of thought that as well amybear

[amybear2]

Sounds like sour grapes that you didn't have the opportunity to better yourself Newbrummie
We are no9t talking about 35 year olds we are talking about 6th formers who are still minors and therefore the parents' responsibilty.

[Bunbaker]

"I started work at 16 and really if kids want to study beyond that it's a choice they are making to improve their long term position"

You are wrong. They have no option. Children have to continue their education until they are 18 now. It can be at school, 6th form college or an apprenticeship.

Details here

[Newbrummie]

No you've failed as a parent if you don't teach them independence. It's not the parents fault that being a "child" has been extended to mid thirties these days, I never signed up for that, I'm sure others didn't too.
I started work at 16 and really if kids want to study beyond that it's a choice they are making to improve their long term position. Parents can choose to support that but it shouldn't be expected by anyone, certainly not the government.

[amybear2]

I would be so ashamed to charge my children rent until they were working fulltime.I would feel I had failed as a parent

[amybear2]

The EMA has been replaced by a 16-18 bursary.

[Bunbaker]

If some posters could bothered to RTFT most people have said that it is unreasonable unless the parents are in dire financial straits.

[beezlebop]

My mum never stinted on financial support for mine nor my sister's education. Both my DP had low paid jobs. We were very lucky but didn't know DM was building up huge debts as a result. Which wasn't brilliant. We only found out when she passed away . All I'm saying is maybe they need their child to earn, the ema is gone, no financial help is available. What do you do as a stony broke parent with no line of credit.?

[amybear2]

you get 10 a*s and worked full time, really?

[amybear2]

shouldn't a parent support their children til they leave school at least?

[NobodyLivesHere]

I worked a full time job as well as doing my gcse's and a level's. I had no choice as I had a flat to pay rent on. I passed them all very well. It's not impossible.

[NobodyLivesHere]

'It's her home too'

Precisely. So she should contribute to it. You have no idea of their finances.

[livedtotellthetale]

DD2 is working and doing her A levels, she has cut her hours down in the the last 2 months and is juggling both well, I would have preferred her not to be working while studying, but she is saving to go inter-railing over the summer, and I dont have the income to fund that. I dont charge her rent and wouldn't dream of it, (although I am sure some months she has more disposable income then I do) but she does work in a watrose and brings me nice reduced food home on a sat night.

[fakenamefornow]

The reason the human race (or any species come to that) survives is because the adults invest in their young not vice versa

Actually, I think until very recently and only in certain parts of the world, is this true. In much of the world and in our very recent past it's the children who havehad to 'invest' in the parents, money has flowed up the generations, not down.

[Mehitabel6]

We didn't charge DS anything when he was on his apprenticeship. It would hardly have been fair when we were supporting the others through university.
I wanted them all to have a good start in life and not charging them. They got the reality when they got jobs and moved out.
I certainly wouldn't when at school.

[bereal7]

Oh and no. We are not rich. My parents just believe it's their job to look after their children -as do I

[bereal7]

but it's their home ! Wow. Tbh I was still receiving 'pocket money' and phone bill paid by the time I left for uni as well as having a Weekend job . My parents would be offended at the idea of ME paying THEM (even when I'm 30+)

I would never charge my children unless it was literally the difference between eating and starving - in which case I completely sympathise.

YANBU