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

[avroroad]

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.

The OP is being quite rude to people who have taken the time to offer suggestions though.

No problem HTH

There's a charity Lead Scotland that I used to volunteer with, that helps disabled people into further/higher education. I suggest you contact them, they have lots of useful info and links, particularly for the school-leavers.

www.lead.org

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.

FYI, autism isn't a mental illness. And just because it's hard to get doesn't mean it's not worth applying. Plenty of autistic people get PIP, including so called high functioning people (aka those without a learning disability).

Sorry - it is www.lead.org.uk I forgot the uk.

Was he meant to be going to school or university this September? What were his original plans.

I don't think it does any young person any good to have nothing to get up for in the mornings. If he can't work and isn't ready for university, then he should be in school, in my opinion. A year of doing nothing really won't make him more mature.

The OP is being quite rude to people who have taken the time to offer suggestions though.

Sorry. I really am not meaning to be. I wasn't prepared to be dragged over the coals repeat about the issue of PIP/work as if I don't know my own child. I really didn't mean to be rude.

Op why can’t you just enrol him at a sixth form / college / school just for something, anything...? I have a son with autism and learning disabilities and I think a year out isn’t going to help with any sort of transition to uni or higher education, even if for now most of the study would be home based. Then you can continue to claim tax credits.

Please do consider applying for PIP. I know you say he won’t qualify but you’d honestly be surprised. Reading between the lines of your posts it’s clear he’d at least score some of the points. What’s the harm in trying? They can only say no.

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

Of course there are reasons to go back to school. I'm not saying otherwise. This has been discussed, at length, with DS. If he chooses not to go back I am supportive of that. In every way. My income however has taken a fall and I was just asking the question as to whether I was on the right track with benefits.

Op why can’t you just enrol him at a sixth form / college / school just for something, anything...?

He is already 'enroled' at school. If he does anything in the next academic year it will be returning to that school.

I have a son with autism and learning disabilities and I think a year out isn’t going to help with any sort of transition to uni or higher education, even if for now most of the study would be home based. *Then you can continue to claim tax credits.
**
*I'm not making him return to school so I can get extra money I just wondered if I would be better switching to UC. It's quite a common question at the moment across the boards so I'm not sure why it's so bad for me to ask.

Please do consider applying for PIP. I know you say he won’t qualify but you’d honestly be surprised. Reading between the lines of your posts it’s clear he’d at least score some of the points. What’s the harm in trying? They can only say no.

We have already been here.

Has he looked at an apprenticeship? If he started, you would still get Child Benefit, you can also get an extension for 20 weeks if he registers with connexions & works less than 24 hours a week. Don't discount him applying for PIP, did he have an EHCP when he was at school or get given extra time when sitting
His exams? If so then he may stand a chance of claiming pip.

Was he meant to be going to school or university this September? What were his original plans.

He was staying at school originally.

I don't think it does any young person any good to have nothing to get up for in the mornings.

He isn't laying about doing nothing. He is involved in several personal and family projects just now.

If he can't work and isn't ready for university, then he should be in school, in my opinion.

And in my opinion; for my son, if he wants to leave that is ok

A year of doing nothing really won't make him more mature.

No it won't. But it won't make him any less mature either. I'm hoping it won't be a year. Maybe later in the year things will be different job wise, maybe not.

Just had to check they are doing them in Scotland, but might a Supported Internship be an option for him, while he’s stuck in the 16-18 limbo situation?

My son, also ASD, has just turned 18. He’s not ready for uni, as needs to work on life-skills, independence and some other bits and pieces. We were starting to despair of finding him anything for next year, when out of the blue a specialist college came into his school to give a talk on supported internship. We enquired further and he now has a placement in his favourite field (computing) set up for September. All the students that did it last year found employment with their placement companies before the end of their placement year and you can choose whether you want to try that or go on to HE.

The placement my son has arranged has 1:1 mentorship with a very experienced ASD support worker, who will be on site with him the whole time. The placement is term time only, so they still get school holidays. They’re doing a protracted transition support process, including independent travel for ds as well. In most placement you do one day a week in college to work on life and work skills, in others you do accreditation of prior learning for this within your placement.

Supported Internships

I may not be suitable for your ds, as obviously I don’t know the reasons why he’s not ready for work etc, but it sounds very similar to the situation we were in and most people haven’t even heard of it as an option, so I thought I’d mention it.

Has he looked at an apprenticeship?

No, and I hadn't thought of that, thank you. I will look into it with him, definitely.

@moosemama

Thank you, I hadn't even heard of this but it looks really interesting

He can apply for universal credit at 17 if he has a condition which means he’s not currently fit for work. He’ll need a fit note from the GP and will have to have an assessment. You can apply to be his appointee if he will struggle to manage his own affairs. www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility

He does really need to be doing something though, whether that is education, voluntary work etc. Doing nothing for a year isn’t likely to help him get ready for university.

I know you’ve said he won’t get PiP but it has nothing to do with whether or not he can work. It’s not a work related benefit.

Have you checked if you’d be better off making a universal credit claim for yourself?

Honestly I’d get some professional advice about benefits and take it from there.

Moose. That is what my nephew is doing in Wales. It has helped his confidence and interaction skills enormously. He couldn’t wait to get out of school and is so much happier now.

I just came on to say about supported internships! They are brilliant! See if project search operates in your area

He may be able to apply for Universal Credit himself, on the basis of having limited capability for work.

www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility

He can definitely apply for UC when he turns 18, but if the DWP don't agree he has limited capability for work then he'll be expected to look.

This might count as a change in your circumstances ("triggering" forcing you to UC). But then, just the fact he's not in education might count as a change in your circumstances.

Tinkly We’re hoping it will do the same for ds. We went to an open day and spoke to a few of last year’s interns and they all seemed to love it and even better, have all been taken on permanently by their placements.

He’s the same about school. He’s had such a rough time there over the years and is really looking forward to finally getting away from it.

He can apply for universal credit at 17 if he has a condition which means he’s not currently fit for work. He’ll need a fit note from the GP and will have to have an assessment. You can apply to be his appointee if he will struggle to manage his own affairs. https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibilityy*

I looked at this earlier. He doesn't fit the criteria.

He does really need to be doing something though, whether that is education, voluntary work etc. Doing nothing for a year isn’t likely to help him get ready for university.

I know. It's 16 months away. He won't be doing nothing for 16 months. But just now, the options are limited. Lots of places are closed and paying staff off.

I know you’ve said he won’t get PiP but it has nothing to do with whether or not he can work. It’s not a work related benefit.

He does not qualify. I have said this repeatedly throughout the thread.

Have you checked if you’d be better off making a universal credit claim for yourself?

Not yet. Rather stupidly, after ready some good advice to others in Mumsnet, I thought I would ask here first. I will be doing the comparison though.

Honestly I’d get some professional advice about benefits and take it from there.

To be honest I will probably just stick with tax credits, if nothing changes for the better by going to UC there isn't any point

This might count as a change in your circumstances ("triggering" forcing you to UC). But then, just the fact he's not in education might count as a change in your circumstances.
Neither would trigger UC, those particular “ change of circumstances “ are not relevant as the op has a younger child.

Op, you need to contact fightback and have them complete you sons pip claim........they've helped so many people in that situation. It can also lead onto extra help at uni too so it's worth doing.

Moose. My sister was telling me that he’s been furloughed at the moment and apparently is really fretting that they can’t manage without him and can’t wait to get back.

He may be able to apply for Universal Credit himself, on the basis of having limited capability for work.

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

Thanks, he wont get this.

He can definitely apply for UC when he turns 18, but if the DWP don't agree he has limited capability for work then he'll be expected to look.

As he is just 17 I'm hoping by the time he turns 18 he is working, again they won't assess him as having limited capability.

This might count as a change in your circumstances ("triggering" forcing you to UC). But then, just the fact he's not in education might count as a change in your circumstances.

When my eldest DS left school tax credits ended for him that August and the amount just went down. I'm hoping that is still the case for DS2 as I don't want to be forced to UC if I am better of with tax credits