16yr old has no access to her ID

[leavesinthebreeze]

NC for this as quite outing.
Basics are:
16yr old has runaway from home. She is now settled and safe with a family friend. Social services are satisfied she is safe so have closed the case with her. She has applied to start college in September. The problem we currently have is that her parents are withholding her passport and her birth certificate. She was born in Bangladesh but moved here 5 years ago. We have been unable to get her an NI number, register her at a GP surgery or open a bank account because she has no ID. I sought legal advice (free) who said get the police involved. The police said seek legal advice. I have emailed the Bangladeshi consulate to enquire about a replacement birth certificate it not heard back yet. College told her she can get a bursary when she starts there but with no ID this is not definite now. I have contacted Muslim Women’s Network who have been supportive but there seems to be no way to get these documents without having to pay gor replacements (money she doesn’t have). She is currently looking for part time work and has a share code to show she it’s entitled to live and work here. The family friend she is living with is not an official guardian and SS did not suggest that should happen.

Has anyone got any extra advice or anything I have missed in trying to get these documents from her parents?

The SS area she is living in told me to go back to the ss she was living previously. So I did. They told me to go back to current area. Round and round in circles. Ridiculous.,

We will do that. Thank you

She’s currently in this area and at risk of becoming homeless. Might be a phrase that helps.

It’s bonkers.

I have said this. Keep getting referred back between the 2 different LAs and it is driving me mad. Neither 1 are helping. They just keep saying phone the other 🤦🏽‍♀️

I might suggest making a formal complaint to both of them and say that they need to sort it out between themselves rather than constant buck passing.

Got referred back yet again to the old area. At that point I kind of lost my cool. (I didn’t raise my voice or swear) I counted I have been ping ponged between them both 9 times with neither SS wanting to take control. I have been given an SGO number but of course went straight to answering phone. So nobody wants to help this 16yr old 🤷🏽‍♀️ Hoping college will have more sway.

People under 18 aren’t entitled to UC as should legally be in full time education until 18, and don’t get UC when in full time education (though I know in situations like this she should definitely be entitled to some from a moral viewpoint!)

That’s not what UC told us face to face. They said in some circumstances it can be paid to under 16 but in this case no because another adult has taken responsibility for her. Except the adult has only said she will put a roof over her head and feed her 3 times a day! Nothing is in writing. The adult has no legal obligation. Never mind the extra costs she (the adult) is incurring who is going to clothe this child? She is applying to so many jobs to pay her own way. Hoping college can signpost us.
Its not even if she isn’t entitled to anything - it’s all their attitudes of ‘computer says no, not our issue, go elsewhere’ and at the centre of it is a vulnerable 16yr old Muslim girl with a recorded history with police and SS of issues with her family and nobody is advising or supporting me and the adult she is living with! I told SS the other 2 options are she will runaway and sleep rough or will have to go into care if someone doesn’t help. On hearing this both SS told me to call the other one 🤦🏽‍♀️🙄

Can the person she lives with claim child benefit?

We’re going to look into that - but would she only get the lower rate due to getting it for her own dd?

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility

"You can also claim Universal Credit if you’re 21 or under, studying any qualification up to A level or equivalent and do not have parental support."

You can call the Citizens Advice Help to Claim line on 0800 144 8 444. They can go through eligibility and assist with making a claim if necessary. They can support her with any issues arising until she receives her first correct payment.

Ah <lightbulb moment> now she has been accepted on to a college course she may well be eligible? UC wouldn’t accept her as a student because she wasn’t registered! We will try again

Thank you for reminding me of this! 💐

I think so. Your local citizens advice may support if any issues there too - I have worked in benefit appeals and the number of times the DWP get it wrong or don’t follow their own guidance….the rules are complicated but you’d think they would have a handle on it.

ideally have bank account details ready ahead of making the claim, but if her account is not yet sorted (sorry I skimmed a bit) they can pay it to a nominated trusted person temporarily.

Still trying to get a bank account sorted, spoken to UC who said start a new claim now she is a student and child benefit said the adult she is living with can make a claim. Spoke to SS (current area) again today who said to put in a complaint against previous SS area. Feel as though we are getting somewhere! 🥳

My two youngest have Nationwide accounts and it was very simple to set them up

The issue is there is no legal guardian because she is 16. We have tried with Santander so 🤞🏼 Barclays wouldn’t help at all.

My two have Skipton savings accounts with books (we chose them for the books) but you can just pay in via BACS.

Could you open the account easily for your children without a legal guardian? It’s actually not that easy, especially for someone who has only lived in their current address for a few months and wasn’t born here in the UK.
We have tried with Santander and they have sent it away for special consideration because it doesn’t tick the normal boxes so hopefully it will work - we will know in 48hours.

Can you contact your MP?

I have. They are currently on their summer recess so not back until September 🙄 oh to be an MP!

I don't think anyone checked I was a legal guardian. We just said we were. I think grandparents can open child type savings accounts.

Looks like Revolut do a 16-17 solo account

https://www.revolut.com/revolut-for-ages-16-17/

Some more ideas here. NatWest have one for 16-17 with no parental permission too.

www.finder.com/uk/better-debit-cards-for-teens?futm_medium=cpc&futm_source=google&futm_campaign=20441844607%7E153639121833&futm_term=bank+account+for+under+16+uk%7Ee%7Eg%7Ekwd-1040163922508&futm_content=%7E%7ECjwKCAjw-rTUBhAiEiwADv8gBKrgCasdsR3c77pp1WzZXDJdBu54WywG-uc558ex-nrRU-IrAzwrDBoCOVIQAvD_BwE&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20441844607&gbraid=0AAAAApWQT4685FF6J2PH4HKThZU2hq73N&gclid=CjwKCAjw-rTUBhAiEiwADv8gBKrgCasdsR3c77pp1WzZXDJdBu54WywG-uc558ex-nrRU-IrAzwrDBoCOVIQAvD_BwE&full-market=false

Thank you! We will try them next. When I called them they said no - but we will go into a branch.

It’s a good job no one asked for your opinion, then.