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Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:50 pm
by Robin64
lyndahill wrote:
Robin64 wrote:Hi
Will your DC be 18? If so it goes on their income not yours. If they are 16 (which I guess they must be if you would still be getting CB) I am not 100% sure whether they then ask about your household income. You do have to say how the student will support themselves for the foundation eg savings, part time job (mustn't be over 16 hours per week). I know other NAPMers have had DC 16 and applied so they might be able to help. The HB forms have a section on benefits.
My DD will be 16. We are funding the course, not on any benefits but do receive child benefit, at the moment!! I will apply for Housing Benefit when she has accommodation sorted but just wondered if a Foundation Course was considered education that CB is still applicable. The CB Office wasn't much help - are they ever.
It does not specifically mention CB here but does say CB would stop if child receiving certain benefits. Tricky one. I think you would need to check it - trouble is I found most people even in the jobs dealing with benefits don't really know things that are slightly out of the usual circumstances. I had to do lots of digging myself. This below is from the Gov website.

If your child starts work or gets benefits in their own right
You’ll stop receiving Child Benefit immediately if your child:

starts paid work for 24 hours or more a week and is no longer in approved education or training
starts an apprenticeship in England
starts getting certain benefits in their own right, such as Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance or tax credits

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:52 pm
by Robin64
Sorry meant it does not specifically mention Housing Benefit not CB -

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:31 am
by kzgirl
lyndahill wrote:
Robin64 wrote:Hi
Will your DC be 18? If so it goes on their income not yours. If they are 16 (which I guess they must be if you would still be getting CB) I am not 100% sure whether they then ask about your household income. You do have to say how the student will support themselves for the foundation eg savings, part time job (mustn't be over 16 hours per week). I know other NAPMers have had DC 16 and applied so they might be able to help. The HB forms have a section on benefits.
My DD will be 16. We are funding the course, not on any benefits but do receive child benefit, at the moment!! I will apply for Housing Benefit when she has accommodation sorted but just wondered if a Foundation Course was considered education that CB is still applicable. The CB Office wasn't much help - are they ever.
The rule of thumb seems to be with child benefit if the course is classed as higher education then you are not entitled to child benefit. Higher education is where by you have to pay for the course or apply for funding. I would say you will not be entitled to child benefit while your DC is on the foundation course.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:02 pm
by lyndahill
Thanks for replies. I'll check again closer to the time of her starting as a Foundation Course isn't classed as Higher Education apparently. They give it to you in one hand and take it with the other anyway!!

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2018 4:31 pm
by dancemom43
A foundation course is not classed as higher education. Not sure about whether still entitled to CB as my DD was 18 anyway when we went through all this.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:54 am
by Robin64
As this has cropped up in this year's audition thread I have bumped it up in case it is helpful for those with foundation offers. A few of us have managed to sort it and it does help a bit when trying to find the money to cover that year.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:32 pm
by lotsolaffs
I am dreading sorting this out for my DD in September. She does qualify as I spoke to someone lovely at the cou cil offices who sent me a form. However now it is an electronic one which I have concerns over as already when I filled in the "do you qualify " it said no.
If she does get it she won't be able to attend.I also have wondered about CO.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 4:55 pm
by Bean
Here we go again wrote:The letter just said that she was not eligible because she was a student. I had phoned the housing department before we applied and told them the situation and they said then that she was eligible. I know of students from last year's course that did eventually get it so I'm not giving up either. I'll let you know how we get on.
Hi Here we go Again
I know this post is from ages ago but I just wondered if you were ever successful at getting housing benefit from Guildford ? It could be the make or break factor in our decision which we have to make soon. So tricky to know what to do.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 10:47 pm
by Here we go again
Bean
I have messaged you.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 12:20 am
by Robin64
Unless it has changed since September, the government rules state who is entitled so it is not up to an individual council. They just sometimes make it difficult - possibly / probably in the hope some people will give up. Keep pressing and sending in the info asked for and you should get it. I didn't really find places like citizens advice useful. I knew more than the people I talked to for help. Basically the rules mean foundation students fall into the category entitled so stay persistent and don't take no for an answer.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:33 pm
by sailorgirluae
We are also hoping to claim HB for my DS for the foundation at GSA so from Guildford Council so if anyone has any tips on how to succeed with this please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:12 pm
by kzgirl
Here is the leaflet link for child benefit for children aged 16+. After reading it, I don't think a foundation course is advanced education so I think you are entitled to child benefit and if you are receiving child tax credits you should also be entitled to still receive them as well.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... r_over.pdf

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 12:24 am
by Robin64
In case this helps. I just found the list of things I took as part of application. Either need to send special delivery or take in and they make copies.
application form
passport
bank statement
NI number (which was on HMRC letter)
Accommodation details on a letter from uni (halls of residence) so from a landlord if you are going to rent privately.
Letter from college stating DD was a student with 30 hours contact p/w on a pre-voc course
term dates letter

I later also was asked for
pay slips from DD's part time job which she was doing the odd shift for in the holidays while at college.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:48 pm
by Bean
Robin64 wrote:In case this helps. I just found the list of things I took as part of application. Either need to send special delivery or take in and they make copies.
application form
passport
bank statement
NI number (which was on HMRC letter)
Accommodation details on a letter from uni (halls of residence) so from a landlord if you are going to rent privately.
Letter from college stating DD was a student with 30 hours contact p/w on a pre-voc course
term dates letter

I later also was asked for
pay slips from DD's part time job which she was doing the odd shift for in the holidays while at college.
Thanks so much for this info. It makes it easier to know where to start.... My DD is so excited about getting onto the GSA foundation I was dreading having to say she couldn’t go, but gradually we are sorting things so it can work for her.

Re: foundation course housing benefit

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:53 pm
by Bean
kzgirl wrote:Here is the leaflet link for child benefit for children aged 16+. After reading it, I don't think a foundation course is advanced education so I think you are entitled to child benefit and if you are receiving child tax credits you should also be entitled to still receive them as well.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... r_over.pdf
That looks as if even 18 and 19 year olds on a pre-voc/foundation course should /could still get child benefit. I’ll look into that.... Thanks.