I have just read the news item about transfering support for children to CTC. In it Dawn Primarolo says that when a family with children claim IS or JDA after April that they will get their support for the children via CTC not IS/JSA.

It seems to imply that this will be done automatically but I suspect that two claims will need to be made one for IS/JSA and one for CTC. Has anyone any information about this?

... and

can you claim CTC without claiming WTC?

IR obviously have some mechanism/ will establish one to pick up names of all parents on IS/JSA for transfer of existing claimants to CTC. However seems that transfer process may not start until October.

So will mechanism be in place for new laims or will Jobcentre plus just hand out the standard WTC/CTC form to run through their computers. Much of form could be left blank as n/a after a cross against in receipt of IS/JSA question and no need for income details.

Certainly form permits claim for CTC only without information for WTC, or is there some cunning problem in the regs, Gareth

But how with CTC be treated in relation to income support. The CPAG states that after the 6th CTC will not be counted as income on income support, so will it be disregraded or how will it be inculded in income support? Will it mean that some people will be no longer entitled to IS. This means that people will be worse off if this is the case and they will no longer be entitled to the tracker benefits if they no longer get IS.

when you take account of CTC and child benefit being disregarded as income for IS /ib JSA then it works out that they will be exactly the same financially. however i'm not clear on the passporting rules eg for social fund, free school meals, etc and would be grateful for elucidation on this

If someone receives both CTC and WTC they are not entitled to free school meals if they receive only one of the benefits ie. CTC only, they can claim free school meals on this entitlement alone.

Ashyk - i think you are incorrect as far as implying that someone IRO WTC only is entitled to free school meals. As far as I know, it is receipt of CTC only that can bring about an entitlement, and then it depends on income levels still, i think the threshold is £13,480 (CTC can remain in payment up to £55k remember).