19yo finishes college course 21.12.09.

CHB paid to parents until 28.2.10, the next terminal date, correctly I think.

JSA refuse his claim on basis he is still treated as in relevant education until 28.2.10, correctly I think.

However parents' CTC stopped immediately w.e.f 21.12.09.

This appears to arise because there is a mismatch between CHB and CTC Regs, CHB allowing an extension to the relevant terminal date, CTC not.

Presumably this occurs fairly regularly. Has anyone found a solution to this? If not, is anyone making representations about it? Causes real problems to low income families when the child stays on in full time education.

Richard Atkinson

Dear Richard - yes, this is a problem I come across a lot (I work with teenage parents so sometimes it is possible to argue that there is an 'interruption' to education rather than the young person actually having left, but it is not always possible to show this).

I'm not sure what representations could be made from a legal point of view, though from the point of view of social policy there is clearly a mismatch here.

As you know, the only respect in which CTC has anything like a terminal date is the 31st August after a young person turns 16. Otherwise, it doesn't apply.

The transition for low income families when young people leave education is difficult enough in any case, but seems particularly unfair here when the YP cannot claim in own right.

Anyone got any ideas?