When can an 18 y/o be recognised as in eligible education or training?

One of our clients children arrived in the UK earlier this year (as a refugee), and he turned 18 in June. He has just enrolled in college, and the course itself should qualify as eligible education and will be 12+ hours per week. I’m hoping to get him added to the family’s CB claim and for the child element of UC, as well as more support (no NDD) for HB and CTR - am I right in thinking this will only apply from the date his course actually starts, in the first week of September?

Hi. They count as a qualifying young person “up to, but not including, the 1st September following their 19th birthday, if they are enrolled on, *or accepted for*, approved training or a course of education” which is non-advanced, at a school or college or other location approved by the Secretary of State and where the average time spent exceeds 12hrs per week (Reg 5, UC Regs 2013).

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/376/regulation/5

Therefore, he should be able to be included in the clients UC award from the assessment period in which he was first accepted on the course. They don’t need to wait till September. The same applies for Child Benefit.

If their housing costs are covered by UC then ther should not be any non-dependent deductions in UC anyway as there no non dependent deductions (called housing cost contributions in UC) for someone under 21 years of age. If they get HB due to being in temporary accommodation, then yes, they may well have NDD, but as you say, these will cease once he is on their UC award.