Help with children's costs

• Child Tax Credit
  This is a payment made to parents and carers of children, or young people still in education.
• School clothing and meals
  Children in families with low income may be entitled to support for school needs of clothing and meals.
• Educational Maintenance Allowance
  This allowance is paid by Local Education Authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to help young people aged 16 to 19 to stay in continuing further education.

Case study - Lindsey and Dave’s story

Lindsey lives with her partner, Dave, and their two children, Henry, 17 and Chloe, 12. After Chloe was diagnosed with leukaemia, Dave gave up work to care for her. Lindsey continued to work. With the loss of one wage, the couple wondered how they would cope.

Henry is a full-time college student living at home and can't pay anything towards household costs. Lindsey and Dave felt they couldn’t ask their son to give up college and find a job.

Due to chemotherapy, Chloe was very ill and weak and needed lots of personal care.
The solution came when the couple found out about the benefits they were entitled to. Among these, the following related specifically to their children and care needs:

Disability Living Allowance| - middle-rate care for Chloe
Worth an extra £51.85 per week.

Working Tax Credit| and Child Tax Credit|, amount dependent on Lindsey and Dave’s joint income. The Child Tax Credit they received includes a disabled child element because Chloe is getting Disability Living Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance| - for Dave, worth an extra £58.45 a week.

Educational Maintenance Allowance| - for Henry, worth up to £30 a week (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland only).