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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Children and childcare  →  Thread

Child Benefit and unavoidable disruption of education

Catblack
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Benefits specialist - South Somerset District Council

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Total Posts: 103

Joined: 31 March 2011

I have a client whose Child Benefit has ceased as her daughter has turned 16 whilst in hospital. She was at school and the hospital have tried and failed to implement some kind of education whilst she is there as an inpatient but it is not considered full time. She was at school studying for her GCSE’s.

I know that child benefit can be paid if the break in education is unavoidable and reasonable. I would assume she will need to demonstrate that there is an intention to return to education.

Has anyone had a case similar to this - we don’t get many Child Benefit cases!

We have raised the issue with HMRC and now in the process of completing one of their forms. Otherwise we will need to make a UC claim for the child (PIP is already underway).

Rebecca Lough
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Welfare rights - Greenwich Council

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Total Posts: 222

Joined: 23 November 2018

Hi there, I’ve had some experience with it in the context of young people and cancer.

Interruption is allowed indefinitely if it’s caused by the child’s illness or disability and the length of the interruption is reasonable in the circumstances (CPAG p580). I think it’s about emphasising that the only reason that the education has had an interruption is their health.

Hope that helps!