Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether full-time attendance at Harrow Online School by a 16 year old constitutes approved education for the purposes of (a) a child benefit and (b) an universal credit claim.

We do not have enough information on this particular case to confirm the Childs eligibility, however eligibility for both the Child Element of Universal Credit and Child Benefit is met where all of the following applies (1) the young person has not yet reached the upper age limit for each benefit (2) the course of education or training the child is undertaking is non-advanced (i.e. up to A-Level or Scottish Qualification framework level 6) and (3) the average time spent during term receiving tuition, engaging in practical work or supervised study or taking examinations exceeds 12 hours per week.

If such a course is provided by a school or college remotely, it is ‘approved education’ for the purposes of eligibility to the Child Element of Universal Credit and Child Benefit.