My client is is under accomodated and is moving from London to Canvey Island. her son is 16 and studying for his GCSEs. He would like to stay in London in the family's bedsit and claim HB (and IS possibly?) while he finishes his education. The education authorities in Canvey have suggested that he stays on at his current school.

Can he claim IOS and/or HB/CTB without needing to claim he is estranged from his mother?

Thanks for your help

There is no minimum age for HB, so he should qualify if it can be established that he has a liability to pay the rent on the dwelling. He is likely to be restricted to the single room rent though (unless the LA is an LHA Pathfinder - Lewisham and Wandsworth I think). If that is a problem you could apply for a discretionary housing payment.

The position may not be so straightforward for IS/JSA (I'm not enough of an expert) but that should not (repeat NOT) stop the LA from getting on and assessing his HB.

He cannot be liable for council tax because he is under 18, so CTB would not an issue.

He will only get IS while is in relevant education if he is estranged from his parents, or in physical or moral danger, or there is a risk to his physical or mental health.