Mother claims CB and CTC for her 17 year old son who left school in June this year. He then started work and TCO and CB were informed. Son was then made redundant at the begining of August and registered with the careers service. Mother has reclaimed CB and CTC, as still within the child benefit extension period, but has been told by the TCO that he is not a qualifying young person because he has been employed and in order to qualify he would have had to register with the careers service as soon as he left school.

Any suggestions.

Can't see anything in the relevant sections of the Tax Credits manual that would exclude him

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ntcmanual/Glossary/YoungPerson.htm

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ccmmanual/CCM18025.htm

He would have needed to registered with Connexions within ceasing to attend education, and the CTC would have needed to be re-claimed within 3 months of him ceasing to attend. I can't see that the intervening employment is relevant at all.

Thanks for that.

It's the registering with the Careers Service within 20 weeks of ceasing education that I couldn't find.

The lad in question is actually my son and he's just learnt the hard way that life isn't a bed of roses. Welcome to the real world!!!