Applying for UC when son finishes school (16)

[Lesley25]

I’ve contacted Contact about this also and the laws sketchy, presumably because this applies to a very small minority.

Ds has profound learning disabilities and severe autism, is in a specialist LA maintained provision and will move to sixth form . He’s going from non advanced care education (life skills) to non advanced education again. This is the catch.

I applied successfully (took me 2 attempts ) and he is in the LCWRA group.
Now I want to apply for UC for him, he turns 17 at the end of Sept , new course (well, 6th form doing life skills) starts 4th sept so I thought I could apply July , when he finishes this period of education.

There’s a chance the UC advisors don’t see the summer break as a break in education but I think I should try.
Has anyone been successful here In obtaining UC for their young adult at 16/17 and if not, when age can I apply for him?

I know there’s a chance the decision can be reversed and the amounts clawed back, but I want to establish my son with everything he’s entitled to, claimed , before he goes into supported living at 18/19 years old.

For DC who are on their parents’ UC claim, the summer period between the end of 1 course and the start of the next is still classed as in education so they remain a qualifying young person and can continue to be on their parents’ claim. See page 28 here.

For those young people making a claim in their own right or their appointee making it for them, in theory as long as the course has finished, you shouldn’t have a problem. For those I have supported, a few who applied in July/August had queries raised, all were ones who weren’t moving placement. All of them managed to successfully challenge it though.

Thanks @perpetualplatespinning I’ll raise it for my Ds in July and challenge it as he’s also not moving placement.

Not everyone who applies in July/August has a problem even if they aren’t moving placement. Hopefully you don’t.