16 year old in foster care want to claim IS as LP

Hi there, i am based within team that caters for young people age 16 plus, I have a young girl age 16, she is a lone parent to 8 week old son. She is in foster care, the baby lives with her but the baby isnt fostered. She has just left school and is enrolled to commence college in September. I am having problems with our local JC plus who are stating she wont qualify for IS due to her needs being met in foster care- after a bit of arguing theyve agreed for me to complete a clerical A1 form, and have advised me that i need to write on the form she needs to be looked at in conjunction with the “child Support Act”. Has anyone come across this before or is it simple and she should qualify simply as a lone parent?

thank you!

Natalie

You’ve probably found the answer by now but just in case: she does qualify simply as a lone parent.  In my view the support she receives through fostering is irrelevant.  It doesn’t matter whether her baby is also fostered or not as long as the baby is living with her. 

I deal with these situations from time to time and no claim has been refused although JC do get a bit confused and may raise a query or two before paying up.  In fact I have just completed CB/IS claim forms with a fostered 16 yr old and baby this morning.

Tony