Do all 18 years old go on UC if they cannot find a job

[Crystalovertherainbow]

Do the family needs to show their income or the new adult is considered their own financial unit now , even if they live with the parents and their UC is given them

Young people can get help without claiming by using organisations like the national careers service, Kings Trust and skills launchpad for example. There will also be careers fairs advertised through Eventbrite and local sites.

Thank you, wanted to confirm this is what the case is practically for my friend, not does it sound morally correct to the people with the big incomes, big houses and amazing brains.

This is why I am asking. I don't want my friend and their child going with less if by law they can get these 300 more while he learns how to Job seek

My friend needs to send her son somewhere, for him to see what it is like to be responsible in front of someone to prove he is looking for jobs. No father figure and she is struggling, they can be better with some additional money. She is only a poor, exhausted by life woman.

Aren’t these 18 year olds in college?

No this is for when they have finished college.

I appreciate this point of view....but not all young adults are so resilient and having this mentality...kids changed much these days, more ND traits, etc

Entry level jobs are hard to get now. There are very few requiring no experience. The job centre provides advice, courses, suggestions to get them into work. Being independent is good for them. Mine would never have gone to a job fair alone with a CV without the expectation that they had to. They cried beforehand, then came home that little bit more confident. They did a two week online course which was all about job searching, strengths, weaknesses, interview skills. Did some mini presentations. Having been unemployed for six months before they claimed, then got a job in about six weeks. It gives them a structure and the impetus to improve their situation. I don’t think me nagging or relating tales of me working on farms age 15 in the 1980s was much help. The world has changed.

You have to be claiming a benefit to get support from the job centre.

YOU said “Let’s face it an 18 year old can get a job”.
So please share your wisdom !
Let me tell my 18 yr old where she’s going wrong since you seem to think it’s so easy.
You are clearly blinkered to other people’s lives & circumstances that don’t fit with your own, no doubt in your cloistered little enclave where all the 18 year olds mow people’s lawns and babysit.
Attitudes like yours bring zero to the table. There’s over a million 18 year olds who can’t find a job.
How many people do you think need their ‘lawns mowing’ and ‘babysitting’ doing by 18 year olds they don’t know???
Hopefully you will tell me where these 10 million people are who need these services.
You’ve got no idea at all.

316. Under 25s get 316 a month

It is a requirement if someone is in the all work group to actively job hunt or face a sanction

Getting a job 30 years ago in London isn't quite the same as people in other parts of the country trying to get a job now

@LunaDeBallonaim with you - where are these jobs?

This thread caused discussion amongst my friends yesterday, as none of us knew that at 18 you could claim even if living at home. We all earn decent salaries, and all feed and clothe our kids, but if they can claim then why not? That money would give them a bit of independence, teach money management and for some of them in my group, it would enable them to afford driving lessons. I pay for my child’s lesson, but not everyone can afford.

For context, amongst us there are 6 teenager girls and 2 boys. One boy referees on a weekend but this is seasonal work. All our kids applied for a wearhousing job at farm foods. Second boy had an interview and didn’t get it, none of the others heard anything. Job is still being advertised. So only one teenager has a seasonal job. My DD is qualified in many aspects of beauty and can’t find a job. She’s tried renting a chair and lost money. She has an interview on Friday where there are 12 being interviewed for one job. As it’s in another city, it’ll cost £27 to get there and back.

From what I gather, they can’t claim until the September they have left college. My DD will be almost 19 by then. I also thought that you HAD to stay in education or an apprenticeship, so surely there can’t be that many claiming anyway? But, we all ageed that if they don’t have jobs by that point, they will claim. The courses they get put on as part of the claim will be good for their confidence and interview skills. It’ll also open their eyes to what is out there, and perhaps think outside of the box if they really have no idea what they want to do with their lives. The money will enable them to attend interviews, buy the correct clothing etc. None of us are going to stop feeding and housing our kids just because they’re claiming; that money should be theirs - and let’s face it, the government is trying to encourage young people to save for a first time mortgage so if it goes towards savings then so be it!

If someone wants to make a claim for UC it's done online initially and then you are given an appointment to attend a job centre where you take ID to verify who you are

They can claim as soon as their course finishes as far as I'm aware

In your view

They can't claim until September as child benefit should still be in payment until August 31st. Technically they can make a claim but it will be closed once they have had a meeting and the coach finds out they have only just ended education and so child benefit is still in place. Unfortunately it isn't picked up by the system earlier than that.

@RaininSummernone of us are entitled to child benefit so wouldn’t be able to use that date as an indication.

I am not sure if they can claim (if turned 18) when their college course ends (so around June).
If their parents receive child benefit or any other benefits that includes a child element they don't stop until the end of the academic year - which is August 31st.
(Scotland is probably different)
The point of claiming at 18 is usually to make up for any money their parents were recieving and will no longer be getting. If an 18 year old is in a single parent home their parent will also loose the single occupant 25% council tax reduction.
It's essentially money going to the 18 year old directly rather than their parents.

Basically I think they have to wait until September 1st after they turn 18.
If you don't receive child benefit then I assume the theory is you have enough money to feed etc your 18 year old for those 2 or 3 months of in-between education ending and adult life beginning.

I can't see anything online that states this - just that when someone has left college they can claim UC at 18. Doesn't mean I'm right though. UC would be the best people to ask if someone needed guidance

I think I've had a slight change of heart. If not going to uni what are they doing at 16-18 to prepare for the workforce?

UC should be temporary till they find a job and should be a last resort. It should be absolutely tiny, they shouldn't be living good and hanging out with friends and having fun till they are working. Definitely shouldn't be a lifestyle choice. Should be time limited and slowly slowly reduced after a certain time

I was thinking about how a friend's DC quit a job they hated. Used some funding from the job centre to do a course in an industry he was passionate about, did it and later on got a job he wanted.

Everyone saying there are no jobs, then why do we have low skilled immigration .

Stop immigration and all the youngsters can fill the jobs, No benefits needed. Problem solved all round?

(Remember if you need a job you take what is on offer it is not a choice unless you have multiple offers).

@Jiwdf in England most at 16-18 will be at either 6th Form within a school, 6th Form College or Further Education College.
They are likely to be studying A-levels, T-levels, Btec or equivalent qualifications.
They might be doing an apprenticeship.
None of that means they will be able to get a job when the two years are finished and not everyone will be going to university.
The UC they can claim at 18 isn't huge and they can't just hang around at home with their mates doing nothing. For most it will be temporary.