Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to allow low income families to continue claiming child benefit if their child undertakes an apprenticeship.

Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit support parents with the extra costs of raising a child. Both are payable for children until 31st August following their 16th birthday. After this, the young person must satisfy additional conditions: they must remain in full-time, non-advanced education up to and including A-level/GNVQ level 3, or equivalent, or they must be undertaking a course of approved training. If a young person is undertaking a paid apprenticeship, or they are in training or education by virtue of a contract of employment, the family is no longer eligible.