2. Who is eligible
As new claims cannot be made, students getting child tax credit (CTC) will be those who were already on CTC (and/or working tax credit – WTC) before starting the course. If you cannot claim CTC, you may be able to get universal credit instead (see Chapter 18).
You are eligible for CTC if you meet all the following conditions.
1Regs 3-5 CTC Regs•You are aged 16 or over.
•You have a dependent child. You can
get CTC for a child until 1 September after her/his 16th birthday. If s/he stays on at school, in other full-time non-advanced
education or is on approved training, you can get CTC for her/him until her/his 19th, or sometimes 20th, birthday.
2Reg 5 CTC Regs This includes during gaps between one course ending and another starting, provided the young person starts the next course. You can only continue to get CTC for a 19 yearold on a course or training which s/he was accepted on, enrolled on or started before s/he reached 19 until s/he leaves the course or turns 20, whichever is earlier. You may be able to continue to get CTC for a young person under age 18 for 20 weeks after s/he leaves non-advanced education if s/he notifies HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) within three months that s/he has registered for work or training with a qualifying body – eg, the place where your local authority provides careers advice for young people or the Ministry of Justice. If your child lives with someone else part of the time, you should decide between you who has main responsibility; otherwise HMRC decides who gets CTC.
•You are ‘present and ordinarily resident’ in Britain, are not a ‘person subject to immigration control’ and have a ‘right to reside’. You must normally have been living in the UK for three months before you claim. These terms are explained in CPAG’s
Welfare Benefits and Tax Credits Handbook. Overseas students can get further advice from UKCISA (see
Appendix 2).
There are no special rules for students. Both part-time and full-time students are eligible.