Pension Credit Child Additional add on

[ThisOliveOrca]

Help! My husband (76 years) and myself (51 years) have been on guaranteed pension credit 16 years. We have a son 19(born Aug 2005),who is a full time student on a non advanced level 3 Btec course which started(ie he enrolled on in September 2023, when aged 18).He is currently on his 2nd year of the course.
We were given notification by tax credits that they would cease on 26th November and as we had already received pension credit the amount of pension credit would be reassessed to include a child element.
However today no pension credit has been paid, no letter received from the pension service but upon speaking to them we've been told we aren't entitled to the child element additional top up as we were only entitled to it till the 31st August 2024.We have queered this twice.
I have found conflicting information on Gov website in the detailed notes that states that additional payment can be made if child was accepted and enrolled on course before he was 19(which he did at 18 for 2 years!), so cannot understand why we aren't eligible. We do still receive child benefit but have been advised by pension service for son to claim universal credit, despite him not being free for work and would then loose child benefit as well!
Does anyone have any ideas on this matter or experience themselves? We've contacted citizens advice and awaiting return phone call from them but obviously may take time?!
Many thanks

Hmmm.

On UC the Child Element only continues to the end of August following the Child's 19th Birthday.

My understanding was Pension Credit mirrors the Tax Credits rules in so far as Child Premium (or CTC) continue up to the Child turning 20.

This would suggest Pension Credit have cocked up somehow, as this suggests they mirror Tax Credits rules:

www.gov.uk/pension-credit/what-youll-get

Did you get Housing Benefit as well as Pension Credit?

www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-if-youre-a-mixed-age-couple-and-get-migration-notice-letters#only-read-this-guidanceif-youre-in-a-couple-where-one-of-you-is-state-pension-ageand-you-get-migration-notice-letters

Thank you for replying. The information you gave me was helpful. I've had a look at it and this is what I read too. It does suggest that pension credit should pay the child premium up to age 20.However the pension credit are insisting not nso. Been on to citizens advice and all I've now been told is for me to make a claim for universal credit. However quite sure this information is wrong as husband has been awarded to still get his usual pension credit without any additional add on. I'm just going round in circles so think I may have to get in touch with another part of citizens advice or start quoting this info you've directed me too at the pension credit lot again! Thanks though for your help.

If you've got an Age UK local to you, they may be more helpful than Cit A as they're more clued up on the nuances of Pension Credit / Mixed Age Couples changes / Move from Tax Credits to UC post Pension age.

There's been a lot of change around Pension Credit, and there's not always a straight answer if you get me - the whole picture needs analysing before you can say "you need to do X"

Don't make a UC claim until you've got concrete advice - UC tends to extinguish all routes back to "legacy" benefits (although I understand there are some caveats again with pension-age Tax Credits to UC etc).

My understanding, roughly, was:

Pension age with Working Tax Credits (with or without Child Tax Credits) - Migrated to UC

Pension age with Child Tax Credits only - Migrated to Pension Credit

But, like I said there is slightly more nuance to it I think.

Hi all. Thank you for your replies. We are getting nowhere fast. Pension credit now say that because my husband is not the one who's name the child benefit is in ie it's mine even though we are married then he's not entitled to the child element addition on the pension credit as effectively he's not responsible for our son!! We have been in touch with age uk, who have sent a form out for benefit check, so will fill that in at some point in the stress and see what happens!

Did you get this sorted?