Aged between 16 and 19 years benefits and support
Universal Credit
If you are 16 or 17, you will only be able to get Universal Credit in exceptional circumstances such as:
- You have limited capability for work or you have medical evidence and are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment
- you’re caring for a severely disabled person
- you’re responsible for a child
- you’re in a couple with responsibility for at least one child and your partner is eligible for Universal Credit
- you’re pregnant and it’s 11 weeks or less before your expected week of childbirth
- you’ve had a child in the last 15 weeks
- you do not have parental support, for example you’re estranged from your parents and you’re not under local authority care
If you think you may have exceptional circumstances, call the local Job Centre Plus office.
For information about looking for work see Work Redbridge.
Housing Benefit
You cannot get Housing Benefit if you are living with a parent or other close relative. For most people under 35 who are single, Housing Benefit is limited to the cost of a bed-sit or a room in shared accommodation.
Housing Benefit can help to pay all or part of your rent. You may get this benefit if you are on a low income, whether you are working or not. Remember, most people who need help to pay their rent must now claim Universal Credit
You can only claim Housing Benefit if:
- You have been getting an addition called Severe Disability Premium to your benefit for disability needs
- You are living in what is referred to an 'temporary accommodation or 'specified accommodation'
There are a few other situations in which you can claim Housing Benefit but the rules are complicated. If you need further advice please contact our Welfare Benefits Team
Parent’s Learning Allowance
For full-time students in England with children who are undergraduates or taking an Initial Teacher Training course
- Might I qualify for Parents' Learning Allowance?
- How do I claim Parents' Learning Allowance?
- How much Parents' Learning Allowance might I get?
Health Costs
You may be able to get help with certain health costs, such as prescriptions, eye care, dental care and travel costs.
Support with finding work
If you live in Redbridge and are over 16 years old, you may be able to get help and support from Work Redbridge. They provide information and advice to Redbridge residents to support them in finding work, training and volunteering opportunities or to explore self-employment.
You can also search online for jobs using the Universal Jobmatch tool.
16 to 19 Bursaries
If you are aged between 16 and 19 and think you might struggle with the costs for full-time education or training you may be able to get a bursary.
