Benefits advice
This page is for young people aged 16-17 who are resident in the Nottinghamshire County Council area and want to find out about their rights to benefits.
The information applies to people who are affected by UK Social Security law and is valid from September 2004
On this page:
What benefits can I claim?
Most people aged under 18 not at school can only get benefits if they undertake training, education or get a job. The training programmes come under a variety of names like 'Modern Apprenticeships', 'Lifeskills', 'National Traineeships', or 'Work-based Training for Young People'.
All under 18's are guaranteed a training place. Sometimes you may be able to claim benefits.
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Who can claim Income Support?
Most young people aged under 18 do not have an absolute right to benefits but some can claim Income Support. It depends on your circumstances. There are certain 16 and 17 year olds who can claim and do not have to sign on for work or training. You can claim if you are:
- A single parent
- Disabled
- Too ill to work (you will need a doctor's certificate)
- Pregnant and the baby is due within 11 weeks, or at any time if your pregnancy is making you ill (if you live with your partner any income they have will affect your claim)
- A recently arrived refugee learning English.
- Caring for a disabled person or someone who is ill
- Required to attend court
- In full-time education (more than 12 hours a week)
- if you are a lone parent, or disabled, or have recently been in care or living away from home for a good reason (good reason is explained later in this page)
- Getting a training allowance that is lower than the amount of Income Support you are entitled to
- A disabled worker.
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How do I claim Income Support?
You can claim Income Support using form A1 from the Benefit Agency or at the ONE office if you live in the North Nottinghamshire Area. You do not have to register at the Careers Office or Job Centre for training or work.
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Child Benefit
If you are at school or college and live with your parent(s), or someone acting as your parent(s), they can claim Child Benefit for you. If they get other benefits like Income support or Jobseeker's Allowance, they can also claim an allowance for you. You might also be able to get a Education Maintenance Allowance to help with the cost of attending school or college.
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Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
- If you are staying on beyond GCSE’s then you could be eligible for the new EMAs. You maybe entitled to up to £30 a week, depending on your family income.
- On top of the weekly payments, there will be termly bonuses of up to £500 a year for regular attendance and performance.
- EMAs are paid directly to the young person and do not count as income if you or your family are receiving means tested benefits or tax credits. For more details on EMAs ring: 0808 1016219
Care To Learn
If you are a young parent (aged between 16 and 19) in education who use and pay for registered child care you may be entitled to up to £5,000 through the Care To Learn scheme.
For more details on Care To Learn ring: 0845 6002809
Do I qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)?
JSA is a benefit for unemployed people but the rules don't allow most young people to claim. You can get JSA you are:
- One of a couple with a child
- Temporarily laid off work but expected back to your job within 13 weeks
- Within eight weeks of going into the armed forces.
Child Benefit normally stops when you leave school or college. If you have recently left school or college, you can claim JSA from the end of the holidays after your last term at school or college for up to three or four months. This time is known as the 'Child Benefit Extension Period". You can claim during this period if you are:
- One of a couple and your partner is 16 or 17 years old and registered for work and training, or is aged 18 and over
- Living away from home for a 'good reason'.
You can also claim JSA for up to eight weeks if you have just left care or custody and you live away from home for a 'good reason'.
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How to claim JSA
Register with Connexions for training and work and they will complete a form ES9 with you. Take the form ES9 to the Jobcentre and they will draw up a Jobseeker’s Agreement (form ES7) with you. You sign to agree what kind of work and training you are looking for and the ‘steps’ you will take to find it. You must take at least 3 ‘steps’ a week (one looking for work and one for training).
You can look for training as well as for work and the rules say you can restrict your job search to employers that promise suitable training.
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Can I still claim benefit if I don't fit into any of the circumstances above?
You may still be able to get JSA if you are suffering "severe hardship". The most common reason for claiming is because you live away from home for 'a good reason' and have little or no money, or live at home but your family cannot support you. When you apply for a Severe Hardship Payment you will have an interview with an under 18 advisor at the Job Centre. You should mention if you have any health problems, difficulties at home, or whether you will become homeless if you don't receive a payment.
Claim in the same way as for ordinary JSA but make sure you tell your Career's Officer that you are claiming under the Severe Hardship rules.
You have a right to a claim Severe Hardship Payment - Don't be put off.
"Severe hardship" payments are paid for short periods of up to 16 weeks at a time and at the same rate as ordinary ISA. More than 80 percent of people that apply are successful.
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What counts as living away from home for a "good reason?"
One of the following would be a good reason for being away from home:
- You have no living parent(s) or anyone acting as your parent(s)
- You have been in care
- You are living away from home because you were in danger there
- You don't get on with your parent(s) and can no longer live with them.
You may be asked why you don't live at home, why you can't return and for permission to contact your family in order to check your story. You cannot be forced to give your permission, but if you don't you may be refused benefit. If you don't want your family to be contacted, a person in a responsible position who knows your circumstances can give evidence that supports your reasons for not living at home. Suitable people could be an advice worker, social worker, hostel worker, or someone else from a recognised organisation.
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What if I am on a training scheme?
If you are on a training course you should get at least £40 if you are aged 16 or over. The agency or college providing the training must not pay you less. If you are doing training, getting the basic allowance and living away from home for a good reason you may be able to get your allowance topped up with Income Support so that it's the same amount as you would get on Income Support.
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What if I have recently been in care?
You might not be able to claim any benefits because the local authority that placed you in care may be responsible for providing you with financial support. However, not all young people who have been in care are excluded from claiming. If you are turned down because you have been in care, get advice to check you have not been incorrectly refused benefit.
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What other benefits might I be able to claim?
Bridging Allowance
If you are between jobs or training and outside your Child Benefit Extension Period you may be able to get a Bridging Allowance of £15 per week for up to eight weeks (in any period of 52 weeks). If you have a disability you can claim the Bridging Allowance for a year instead of just eight weeks, it doesn't matter why you left your job or training.
If a Bridging Allowance is the only money you're getting and you live away from home for a good reason, or you're at home but your family can't support you on £15 a week, you could try claiming Jobseeker's Allowance because you are in 'severe hardship'. You claim a Bridging Allowance using form BA1 from the Careers Office.
Housing Benefit
You can apply for Housing Benefit if you have to pay rent. You don't have to be claiming Income Support or JSA in order to get Housing Benefit. Contact your local council for more details or get advice.
Other Benefits
You may also be able to claim a Social Fund payment such as a Crisis Loan; disability benefits like Disability Living Allowance; free school meals; free prescriptions; travel to hospital; dental care; sight tests and help with the cost of glasses.
Tax Credits
Working Tax Credit is an income related payment for people in low paid work. Payments can also be made towards certain childcare costs.
You may qualify for Working Tax Credit if you are 16 or over, AND:
- Either you (or your partner) are working for 16 hours a week or more, AND
- You have a dependent child, AND
- You have a physical or mental disability that puts you at a disadvantage in getting a job and you were previously in receipt of a disability benefit.
- You may be entitled to Child Tax Credit if you are 16 over, AND
- You or your partner are responsible for a child.
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Where to get further help and advice
If you need more help or information about Social Security benefits you can contact one of the following organisations:
If you live in Mansfield, Ashfield or Broxtowe you can contact the NCH Action for Children advocacy project on tel: 01623 55619.
If you live in Newark, Bassetlaw, Gedling or Rushcliffe you can ring NACRO - Young People's Advocacy Project on tel: 01623 863699.
We provide advice sessions in various places throughout the County.
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Disclaimer
The information on this page is not legal advice. If you have a query about your benefits, you should talk to an advisor before making a decision.
You may wish to call the Nottinghamshire Welfare Rights Service Adviceline on tel: 0845 601 5943 or find your nearest independent advice centre in Nottinghamshire or take a look at the national CLS/CDS Directory.: www.clsdirect.org.uk
The information on this page is for people affected by UK Social Security law.
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