► Child Benefit

Child Benefit is a a benefit paid to all** parents for their children automatically up to the age of 16. After 16 of you continue in full time education studying for a qualification up to level 3 (Foundation Learning, BTEC Level 2 First, BTEC Level 3 National, A levels, etc. these payments can continue until you are 19 years of age.

Towards the end of Year 11, the Child Benefit Agency will send a letter to your parents / carers asking about your plans for after you leave school. Your parents / carers should complete and return the form if there is a chance you will be continuing in education at a school sixth form, sixth form centre/college or a college of further education. It is much harder to restart these payments if they have stopped because you thought you were going into work or an apprenticeship.

If you want more information or have a query contact your local Connexions Centre or the Child Benefit Enquiry Line, Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm - see contact details below.

You could also visit the HM Revenue and Customs website -HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

**Recent changes have meant that higher rate tax payers earning over £44,000 no longer get this benefit.

► Courses Fees

If you are under 19 and are attending a further education course at a local sixth form or college you will not usually pay course fees. Some courses may have a small registration fee and you may have to buy equipment for the course for examples a hairdressing or beauty kit or protective clothing and boots. Students who turn 19 whilst on their course may have to pay some tuition fees.

For further information contact the sixth form or college you wish to attend.

► Travel Expenses

Durham County Council has made some significant changes to the transport that they provide for you to travel to school or college. The key changes are listed here but you can read them in more detail on Durham County Council's website.

If you are currently in school and get free transport you should see no change unless you move to a new area or a new school; when your application would be reassessed. If you are in year 11, there are changes to funding for post 16 study detailed below:

Changes from September 2011:

No transport for Post 16 study unless this is the second year of a two year course or you have some special educational needs that make travel difficult.

For example:

► If you are completing year 11 and plan to study in sixth form or college you will not get financial help with your transport costs.
► If you are in Year 12/13 and are in the second year of a two year course and continuing to study the same subjects, you will continue to get help with travel costs.
► If you cannot travel independently because you have a mobility problem or other significant need you can apply for help with travel costs but you will have to provide medical evidence that you cannot travel to your school or college independently.

Changes from September 2012:

If you start secondary school in September 2012 or change school or home address after that date these changes may apply to you:

► Home to school distance: transport will be provided if you live 3 miles from school not the current two miles. (However an exception may be made if you have a mobility difficulty).
► If you attend a Faith School: Free transport to faith schools will stop except where there is a legal requirement. The exception is secondary school pupils from a low income household may get free transport to the nearest suitable school chosen on the grounds of faith if it is between 2-15 miles from their home.
► Concessionary Travel: currently where there are spare seats on school buses and taxis, these have been available to you even if you didn’t qualify for free travel. From September 2011 if you wanted to use these spare seats you would have to pay.

► Care to Learn

Care to Learn is a financial support scheme to assist with the costs of childcare and additional travel for young parents. For more information contact Care to Learn - see contact details below.

If you are under 19 and have a child you can find out more at: Directgov: Care to Learn.

► Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

Education Maintenance Allowance is a weekly payment of £10, £20 or £30, paid to young people aged 16-19 who are in full time study and who live in a household with an income below £30,000. It helped with the cost of books, transport or equipment

Recent changes have meant that EMA will cease by September 2011. This means that students currently receiving payments will continue to get them until the end of the current year of study, but not for any subsequent years. If you are on a short course and registered for EMA before 31st December 2010 you will receive payments until the course finishes or until August 31st 2011 whichever is sooner.

EMA is being replaced with an increased learner support fund to each college or sixth form and if you are concerned about the cost of continuing with your studies you should speak directly to whoever administers this for your school or college.

If you receive EMA other family benefits such as child benefit, child tax credits and working tax credits are not affected. See Directgov for further details.

► Discretionary Learner Support Funds/Access Funds

Colleges of further education have their own 'learner support funds'. These are funds to support young people experiencing financial difficulties during their course. Recent changes mean that EMA has been withdrawn and that Learner support funds will be enhanced to provide wider funding for students in hardship. This support can help to provide money to cover the cost of books, equipment and other items. Applications forms are available within each college.

For contact details for local colleges, click here.

► National Union of Students' (NUS) Extra Card

If you are at sixth form or college, you could apply for an NUS extra card for discounts on goods and services.

To find out lots more, you can view this article in printable full text or view the weblinks below.

More help4u:
Adult Learning Grant (ALG)
Directgov - Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
National Union of Students' (NUS) Extra Card

Care to Learn
Directgov: Care to Learn

Child Benefit Office/Enquiry Line
PO Box 1 Newcastle upon Tyne, NE88 1AA
Tel: 0845 302 1444, 0845 302 1474 (textphone for hard of hearing)

Children and Young Peoples Services
County Hall Durham, DH1 5UJ
Tel: 0191 383 3222, 0191 383 3262 (Student Support)

Education Transport Section
County Hall Durham, DH1 5UJ
Tel: 0191 383 5500 (select option 4)