Tax credits

[springisaroundthecorner]

Ds is 17. He could not cope in college and went from September 2022 to March of this year with nothing. He did a 3 month course short until June and then went back ito them in September. It finishes in December.
From January, will then lose all our tax credits and child benefit. My husband works full time from home in a low paid admin job and I live on the small amount of tax credits.
I am our son's appointee and will help him apply for universal credit. I left my full time job back in 2007 when we started to struggle with his SEN. My husband worked out of the house full time until lockdown.
Why does the system punish us in this way? We still need the tax credits and child benefit.

Does DS have an EHCP? If not, you should request an EHCNA. If he does, you need a review as it can continue until 25, or 26 in some cases.

Are you claiming carer’s allowance?

Do you rent? You may still be eligible for a small amount of UC in your own right.

Have you compared what you will lose to how much DS would receive in UC? Some find the difference is not as much as they thought.

Rather than DS (or you as appointee) claiming in his own right, it may be possible to get an extension to child benefit (and thus tax credits/UC). You can get an extension of up to 20 weeks if DS registers with the carers service - this ends if DS turns 18 before the 20 weeks, or starts employment of more than 24hrs pw, or claims UC in his own right. It is also possible to get an extension of up to 6 months (or sometimes longer) if, because of MH/SEN, there is an interruption (rather than a definitive end) to full-time education.