Child Benefit and Apprenticeships  

Dear All

Can anyone clarify the rules on this for me, which is to say is Child Benefit payable when a child undertakes an apprenticeship?

It seems not, but cannot seem to find anything conclusive either way, for example page 552 of the 2016/17 CPAG handbook

Many thanks in advance

It’s the full time non advanced education rule that matters - often with apprenticeships they are at college for one day a week which isn’t enough to be full time. But if they are doing 12+ hours at college I don’t think the fact that they are doing an apprenticeship rules them out from CB.

That makes sense, I got wrapped up looking for a specific reference to apprenticeships

Many thanks

It also depends on the type of apprenticeship - whether, for example, it is funded under relevant education / training provision or whether its under a contract of employment.

The following case may assist https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/search-caselaw/search&channel=briefcase&keywords=CTCSLASH4192SLASH2014&date-from=19980101&date-to=20171231&category;=/

Although I think the term ‘foundation learning’ no longer applies and a different jargon applies (and is different in each devolved administration) because the funding (and name(s)) of such training / apprenticeships changes every other year and hence the CHB etc regs are (sometimes) amended to reflect this!

There was another case CTC/1587/2015 - but it has not been published with a neutral citation number.

see CPAG 17-18 p572, 574-575 - differrence between ‘appropriate full-time education and ‘approved training’. These are further set out in the labarinthyne cross referrences in the CHB Regs particularly Reg. 1 which includes definitions “approved training”, “arrangements made by Government”, “full time education” and Reg 3. “appropriate full-time education” (which is not subject to the “full time education” provision 12hr + etc.).

In other words there are two distinct qualifying criteria - a ‘qualifying course’ (12hrs + etc) OR ‘approved training’ (some types of apprentiship and similar ‘vocational training’ - noting they are different in E, W, S & NI).

In my experience it can be impossible to establish with training providers, colleges and employers / work placement providers under which specific educational provision the training / course / apprentiship is provided - they simply don’t know the legal / funding basis of what they do!!

simples!

Peter,

Many thanks, easy is the word :-)

Best wishes