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Original poster

17 year old not going back to school. Loss of tax credit help!

266 replies

avroroad · 06/05/2020 14:37

Please go gentle on me, up until 3 years ago DH and I both worked full time. Him for over 30 years, me for just under. Now we have found ourselves sin a bit of a shitty position.

The upshot is that DS, 17, may not be returning to school but won't be going to Uni until 2021. So this means a loss of CB and my tax credits will drop - I will just have one child on my claim. I get carers allowance (for DH) and up until Covid-19 I was self employed. That income has gone for the foreseeable, mainly due to the industry which isn't going to pick up anytime soon. We are managing but I am really worried about what happens when I lose the money for DS (end of August iirc) There is nothing for him. He isn't ready to get a job, even if there were jobs available, due to being autistic. So does that leave us as we are or is there anything I could do that might make things a bit easier? UC maybe? I have been reluctant to do anything that would trigger a switch to UC because all the calculators told me (haven't looked recently - I'm baffled won't it all now) that tax credits are a better option.

This isn't a simple case of 'get a job' for me. I have a job. I have my business waiting for me when trade picks up again (realistically looking at months though) and I have heavily invested etc. My job suits my circumstances ordinarily. What I do meantime, if anything, I have no idea though.

OP posts:
walkingchuckydoll · 06/05/2020 15:02

I've known classicly severe autistic people that had jobs at one of those places for mentally handicapped people. It was arranged by the institution that they lived in. It doesn't earn much, but maybe that would be a possibility? I don't think just being autistic means that you can't work at all but it might be quite a challenge to find something that fits.

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:03

But if you can’t afford to keep him it may be necessary. Leaving school may be a luxury that yiur ds can not afford. I understand school may be stressful, I have teens with asd. But I do think he could look at college maybe as an option.

I will manage. I was just looking for pointers in case I was missing anything. I won't be forcing him to go anywhere. He wouldn't go to college either way, it would be back to school if anything. He was due to sit advanced Highers this year Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:06

So why does he need a gap year? It’s a luxury you cannot afford. Tell him to go to uni in September.

Oh. I wasn't looking at it as either a luxury or a gap year tbh. He is only just 17, autistic and not ready for uni. Aside from anything else this years natural intake don't know what is happening with uni as it is. Honestly I just wanted some advice in case I was missing something in terms of help. Coronavirus has a lot to answer for and I'm sure we are not the only family who's I come has dropped dramatically.

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 06/05/2020 15:07

Why can he not get a job?

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:09

I've known classicly severe autistic people that had jobs at one of those places for mentally handicapped people. It was arranged by the institution that they lived in. It doesn't earn much, but maybe that would be a possibility?

I don't think just being autistic means that you can't work at all but it might be quite a challenge to find something that fits.

I don't think that either. I think that right now when all factors are considered, he isn't going to get a job. He isn't ready for a job. There are no jobs. People are losing their jobs all over the place. The market isn't in anyone's favour.

OP posts:
Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:10

Why can he not get a job?

There are no jobs.

He is not ready to get a job.

OP posts:
TinklyLittleLaugh · 06/05/2020 15:16

Ready in what sense? If he has difficulties in engaging with people, to the extent that it causes him psychological harm, that would make him eligible for Pip.

nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 06/05/2020 15:22

Would he be able to do something like data entry part time? My cousin used to when her kids were small. She'd work for 3 hours in the evenings 4 days a week. It wasn't great pay but was easy, she didn't have to interact with anyone apart from 1 weekly phone call from her boss to check on progress and make sure she was getting on ok. Gave her some money of her own and eased the pressure on her partner.

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:23

Ready in what sense? If he has difficulties in engaging with people, to the extent that it causes him psychological harm, that would make him eligible for Pip.

Ok, look he doesn't qualify for PIP. He didn't even get DLA as a child. It's not something that is an option and without sounding rude I really don't want to be forced into giving an explanation. He will absolutely flourish in the right setting when he is ready, but right now, given the economic impact of Covid-19 and the fact that he is less mature than the average 17 year old, he is not ready to get a job and does not meet the criteria for PIP. There is no psychological harm involved. He just isn't ready.

OP posts:
AldiAisleOfCrap · 06/05/2020 15:25

He hasn't been or won't be assessed as unfit for work. if that’s the case then he needs to work.

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:26

Would he be able to do something like data entry part time? My cousin used to when her kids were small. She'd work for 3 hours in the evenings 4 days a week. It wasn't great pay but was easy, she didn't have to interact with anyone apart from 1 weekly phone call from her boss to check on progress and make sure she was getting on ok. Gave her some money of her own and eased the pressure on her partner.

Possibly, yes. He could work from home, I hadn't even thought about it tbh. I just assumed people working from home were doing it off the back off a physical workplace job! Shows how much I know. I will look into that, no idea how these jobs come about!

OP posts:
bookmum08 · 06/05/2020 15:28

Would he be entitled to anything when he turns 18 and/or at university? Between 16 - 18 does seem to be a black hole of help for situations like this. Could he do some kind of life skills course at a college for next year? I have no idea if that would count for education and therefore still be eligible for tax credits.

HermioneWeasley · 06/05/2020 15:28

I worked from 13 years old, my brother from even younger. Why is he not capable of picking crops, working in a food factory, stacking shelves etc? Those industries are still going strong

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:30

He hasn't been or won't be assessed as unfit for work. if that’s the case then he needs to work.

Well no, he doesn't. I was just wondering if I was in the right place befit wise with tax credits and UC. Like I said. We will manage.

OP posts:
Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:31

I worked from 13 years old, my brother from even younger. Why is he not capable of picking crops, working in a food factory, stacking shelves etc? Those industries are still going strong

Well done. Have a gold star. Star

OP posts:
Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:33

Would he be entitled to anything when he turns 18 and/or at university?

Yes he will get a student loan.

Between 16 - 18 does seem to be a black hole of help for situations like this. Could he do some kind of life skills course at a college for next year?

No. If he was going anywhere it would be back to school for advanced Highers.

OP posts:
Arewehere · 06/05/2020 15:33

You could ask for this thread to be moved to Money Matters OP.

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:34

You could ask for this thread to be moved to Money Matters OP.

Thanks. I will do that now.

OP posts:
bloodyhellsbellsx · 06/05/2020 15:39

If he, or you, don’t want him to work and there is no medical reason why he can’t, then you will have to pay his way, not the taxpayer.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 06/05/2020 15:39

Well no, he doesn't. I was just wondering if I was in the right place befit wise with tax credits and UC.
Like I said you can continue to claim tax credits and child benefit for 20 weeks after August.

Career services
You can get tax credit for 20 weeks if your child leaves education or training before they’re 18 and:

registers with their local careers service, Connexions or local authority support service

Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:41

Like I said you can continue to claim tax credits and child benefit for 20 weeks after August.

Thanks, I was just rereading the thread and came back to mention this. I missed it earlier. I will look into that.

OP posts:
Original poster
avroroad · 06/05/2020 15:41

If he, or you, don’t want him to work and there is no medical reason why he can’t, then you will have to pay his way, not the taxpayer.

Why thank you. This is so incredibly helpful of you.

OP posts:
PineappleDanish · 06/05/2020 15:44

He is only just 17, autistic and not ready for uni.

All the more reason for going back to school to do S6. Or going to another school to do S6.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 06/05/2020 15:44

@bloodyhellsbellsx
If he, or you, don’t want him to work and there is no medical reason why he can’t, then you will have to pay his way, not the taxpayer.
Did you just join the thread to have a dig at the op?
It’s perfectly reasonable to both enquire about possible benefits and/or claim what you are entitled to.

UncleBillyLostHisWilly · 06/05/2020 15:45

Hi OP.

I've seen someone above saying about home working jobs.

I've seen quite a lot of them at the moment if you type home working into indeed or total jobs, however at the moment a lot of them seem to be customer service roles which may be hard for your son as they involve speaking over the phone and making decisions on the spot which I think a17 year old would struggle with.

If I was you I think i would just struggle through the next year until he goes to uni. If you force him into work like PP's think is a reasonable thing to do I think it really could dent his confidence for uni if it doesn't go well.

Also to the PP's saying he can get PIP.
People with limbs missing struggle to get pip, having a mental illness is even harder to get PIP. It's nothing something the just Give without putting up a huge huge fight.