[in a minute]

I have rang centrelink & they just confused me even more lol .

My nearly 17 yr old has just left school in Yr 11 after she decided she didn't want to continue onto Yr 12 . She has just started a casual job( hopefully after the trial period , she will go part time or fulltime ) she is also applying for fulltime work & so I rang them today to let them know that she has left school & so my family assistance could be stopped , I don't want a debt . I am on a Carer's pension for another one of my children & I guessed I just assumed as she has just started casual work they would put her on Youth allowance & she would just have to declare her income & once she earned so much she wouldn't be paid , the guy I spoke to said this isn't the case .

Is this info correct , she would be entitled to zero ? Or should I take her in & apply for Youth allowance ?

**Updated daughters work situation post #24 not claiming Youth Allowance or Family Assistance **.

This post has been edited by in a minute: 15/11/2012, 06:37 PM

[Becky Thatcher]

I don't see why the guy at Centrelink was wrong.

As I understand it, Youth Allowance is for teens at high school whos parents are on very low incomes or uni students who have moved out of home.

I was under the impression that the law states that a kid is not allowed to leave school until the end of the year they turn 17, so is your teen 17 this year or next?


If I am wrong other posters please correct me.

[mitty82]

They have changed it all and Im not sure the rules now. When i was a teen I could ineffect apply for the dole when i left school. I applied but got a job the very nxt day.
These days they have to be earning or learning.

[Miss Cookie]

http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/s...youth-allowance

It appears she would need to have her school certificate or equivalent to be eligible, or be undertaking suitable training.

This post has been edited by Miss Cookie: 12/11/2012, 04:52 PM

[WinterDancesHere]

I don't see that she would be eligible:

You may be able to get Youth Allowance if you are:

• 16 to 21 years old and looking for full-time work or undertaking approved activities. If you do not have a Year 12 Certificate or equivalent qualification (Certificate Level II or above), you will have to undertake study or training in order to qualify for Youth Allowance
• 18 to 24 years old and studying full-time
• 16 to 24 years old and undertaking a full-time Australian apprenticeship

[SugarMumma]

I was under the impression that the law states that a kid is not allowed to leave school until the end of the year they turn 17, so is your teen 17 this year or next?

I don't know about this, my brother was expelled from his school in year 9 and just never went back. Not sure what happened centrelink wise but I don't think anyone got in trouble for it being illegal.

Can you try to encourage DD to get into an apprenticeship or traineeship? She's a good age for it if she's determined to leave. My brother definitely regrets not getting a trade or certification. Even though he basically lucked into a decent paying job now he spent a lot of years where his lack of schooling restricted that sort of opportunity.

[Becky Thatcher]

I don't know about this, my brother was expelled from his school in year 9 and just never went back. Not sure what happened centrelink wise but I don't think anyone got in trouble for it being illegal.

Oops, I meant to add unless they have a job or approved study.

[steppy]

Technically it's illegal in reality nobody enforces it. My stepdaughter dumped school at age 16 and just continued getting youth allowance, but she had already qualified for independent youth allowance before that.

If your child is living at home it may be a lot harder to get youth allowance. It is more likely that you will continue to be paid FTB for that child.

This post has been edited by steppy: 12/11/2012, 05:00 PM

[WinterDancesHere]

I don't know about this, my brother was expelled from his school in year 9 and just never went back. Not sure what happened centrelink wise but I don't think anyone got in trouble for it being illegal.

They recently upped the age and (I think) did away with the school certificate qualification, so there is just the HSC (NSW).

(Off topic) Silly idea I think, since you are keeping people who don't want to be there in school to the detriment of those that do.

[in a minute]

Thanks everyone , I'm having trouble getting onto the centrelink site & it has been offline this afternoon for me .

She had a meeting with the careers adviser at school & the school principal , she is allowed to leave school now legally & has officially been signed out . She turns 17 in Jan 2013 . She is working , just started today casually . I have tried to encourage all her options & at this stage she doesn't want to study , so I have encouraged her to get her resume done & to apply for every thing she can . She is trying to get full time work & hopefully this job earns her more hours or she can find a 2nd part time casual job . She wants to work .

I was just confused with the changes that are going ahead with youth/ family .

Thanks for your help