jade Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Hi I spoke to the child benefit people yesterday to ask if my dd took up a place at a school doing level 6 dance diploma but 2 A Levels along side would I still get child benefit for her? Her response was no as the dance course is higher education and that I would also lose my child tax as well. This has left me unable to sleep all night - Trying to calculate costs ! I had thought that if you did a levels then you would still be able to claim cb ? I told the advisor I spoke to that this was not what I had heared and she said well it was all about hours of supervised study and to ring back when I knew for sure we're my dd would be starting in September - but it did not soung good ???? so if anyone's child is attending the hammond school and knows about the rules on a levels and number of hours of study would it be too noisy of me to ask are you still able to claim child benefit / child tax ? Pm myself if that's better ? Thank you I don't know who else to ask x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Dd is lower school but I'm almost certain you can claim CBA if they do A levels. I will check the Upper School timetable for hours v Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you ! Sorry about my spellings I should read through my post properly before posting ! Trying to type whilst entertaining toddler here !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lildancer96 Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 We received child benefit during 6:1 and 6:2 whilst doing A levels and diploma in dance but not in 6:3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 The current timetable is around 13.5 hours of A level study. according to the govt website an a level course must be more than 12 hours to class as full time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Oh good I'm really praying we will get it because if we can't claim chid benefit we can't keep our child tax - which would make the cost of dance training too hard . Is it a certain number of a levels they have to study ? The advisor said it also had to be supervised study . I know I'm jumping the gun a bit my dd hasn't even done funding audition yet ! But I'd like to think I can except place if she is offered dada - dread to think I would have to turn it down in light of this child benefit / tax news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 They have to study two A levels. Supervised study is Contact time - they are obviously expected to study outside class time as well (the same as they would in a normal school) Just don't tell them about the diploma, only the a levels!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 But be aware you won't get child benefit during the third (graduate) year. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 The system does seem a bit unfair and there's something of an anomaly. For most people, they won't be studying beyond A-levels until they are at least 18 (19 if they take a gap year), and would be losing their tax credits/child benefit at 19 anyway. It feels like dancers starting higher education at 16 are being penalised for being talented. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you for your help pictures ! I think it depends on the advisor you speak to ! Re read old posts some seam to get it others don't ! Your right I'll just focus on the a level part ! I mean if my dd doesn't go to the hammond she will stay on at sixth form studying a levels and child benefit would be paid anyway ! I m aware she would only get it for the first two years but better to find the extra money for one year than three years ! Even with dada our finances will be pushed and we will struggle ,so to find out yesterday that we would need to make up the amounts lost in child benefit and child tax was heart breaking . I can handle my child not getting a dada but to get one and still have to turn it down is just gutting x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 we got child benefit for the first 2 years only - ie when DD was studying A levels only. I phoned up and was asked how many hours a week would be spent on A levels and answered I was unsure but she was only dropping 1 A level ie doing 2 instead of 3 and she replied 'oh that will be over x hours a weeks then' and ticked whichever box she had to for child benefit to continue. I would suggest you wait until you know where your DD will be going and then phone up again - stress full time education, only 16 and 2 A levels. It sounds like you got an unhelpful supervisor. I'm sorry but I cannot remember how many hours a week she said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you 2dancers mum . Feeling little more hopefull now !!!! What would I do without this forum xxxx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I feel that young dancers starting higher education (level 5/6 diplomas or degrees) are being unfairly penalised because they are commencing their advanced education before the rest of the general population. Dance (ballet in particular) must be almost unique in that training at the highest level is required at 16+ and it seems totally wrong to me that families (especially those on the lowest incomes) will lose tax credits and child benefits. It seems entirely reasonable that all children in full-time training should be able to keep child benefit and tax credits until the age of 19, in common with the rest of the population, which is why I shall be writing to the All-Party Parliamentary Dance Group at the House of Commons and raising the issue with them. Contact details as follows: Frank Doran MP All-Party Parliamentary Dance Group Portcullis House House of Commons London SW1A 0AA 020 7219 3481 Maybe if enough of us contact them, we might be able to get something done about it! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 Thank you for that taxi, I will also be writing to them . You post has hit the nail on the head so to speak xx 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guesty Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I didnt get child benefit but my dd only did 1 A level. If you get a Dada place with the maintenance grant then you don't continue to qualify for tax credit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I can understand that the Government probably decided on the age limits in order to encourage as many young people as possible to stay in education rather than leaving school with minimal qualifications at the earliest opportunity and then be unable to find work. I'm sure they didn't intend for the same system to discriminate against the most talented youngsters who access higher education earlier than everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa O`Brien Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Gosh, I didn`t know there was a Parliamentary Dance Group.! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 8, 2015 Author Share Posted March 8, 2015 My dd will be looking to take two a levels . We won't get maintenance part of dada as we are just over cut off point - this is why I really hope to still get child and tax benefit . It's my fault really when sorting out our budget I thought my dd would still qualify for these benefits being 16 and in full time education. It's just we thought we might just possibly make this work and now we may need to find the extra to cover the loss of money. It is a means tested income and if I never had it to begin with fair enough - but I have been entitled to it , worked calculations out based on it and felt devastated to learn I may no longer be entitled to it. But hey that's the way it goes and she may not even get a dada so it would be game over anyway. What's meant to be will be . Just wish I'd researched properly but you kind of just focus on the auditions and I got carried away with it all but back down to reality with a bump now !! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Gosh, I didn`t know there was a Parliamentary Dance Group.! Nor did I until the other day! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Well I had no idea child benefit was dependent on doing A levels and the like! I thought it was just payable until the child reached the age of 19 no matter what they were doing studying or not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 That's the thing Lin, you would think so wouldn't you? The age limit is clearly there to persuade people to remain in school/college rather than join the ranks of the unemployed, and it's a bit unreasonable to take it away from high-achievers who start higher education early. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilacfairy Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Am I right in thinking if you study for a 3 yr degree course say at Rambert even for the first 2 yrs if your only 16, you still wouldn't get your child benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 9, 2015 Author Share Posted March 9, 2015 That's my understanding of it. You can claim if in full time education doing a levels or up to a b tec level 3 diploma but not above level 3 . So the dance degree and level 6 diploma count as higher education x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Sorry slightly off but connected.....what happens with young people in an apprentice scheme? Do they lose this benefit as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Yes Lin, paid apprenticeships are not eligible for child benefit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Once a young person leaves education they are no longer eligible (and neither are you for tax credits etc) so well worth thinking through that if you rely on it. I still don't quite understand the whole Diploma thing. If they're on a diploma course not doing A levels (like at ENBS?) then that could have Quite an effect on my circumstances Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Precisely angel. Only Level 3 courses count as being "under 19 in full time further education" so the Level 3 btec diplomas that local colleges offer are fine. But the level 6 professional diplomas offered by the vocational colleges are classed as higher education so don't count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Oh dear. Finger crossed for Sunday's audition then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerbread Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 what about at Central, where A'levels are optional I believe? Parents of dancers there who are doing A'levels get the child benefit, but those who choose not to do this extra studying don't get it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) Personally I would doubt anyone would get child benefit at Central because it is not allowed for higher education and Central offers the degree not the diploma and so is clearly and recognisably classed as higher education with the relevant access to student loans etc. You also have to do a certain number of hours of A levels to be classed as doing further education and eligible for child benefit. The diploma as always is that grey area where students fall somewhere between a rock and a hard place - no student loans (though it is higher education), no housing benefit (because its higher education - you get HB for further education) - child benefit for continuing with A levels seems to be the only concession they allow edited to add - only guesswork though. someone with a child at Central may well correct me - and I have to say there always seem to be exceptions to the rule - perhaps because they have slipped through or had an advisor who has confused levels of diploma. I know of people with child benefit doing diplomas with no a levels and until recently I knew of people getting housing benefit too. This despite the fact that there are court rulings to say that diploma students do not qualify for housing benefit. Edited March 10, 2015 by 2dancersmum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jade Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 When I spoke to the child benefit advisor she said degree courses don't qualify for child benefit or child tax as you can claim student finance . But as already pointed out each advisor seam to say something different x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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