TCM0032100 - Changes: children (A-E): child or qualifying young person - adding or re-including

Checklist

Before you follow this guidance make sure

• you follow the guidance in TCM0138020 and also follow the guidance in TCM0284140
• you have the correct user roles to follow this guidance.
• you are in the correct MU if working from a worklist. Use TCM0322460 for the correct MU number.

Reason not to follow this guidance

You do not need to follow this guidance if you are not adding or re-including a child or qualifying young person.

Background

This guidance is for when a customer wants to add or re-include a child or young person in a tax credits claim that is currently in payment.

Where the customer wants to add and/or re-include more than one child or qualifying young person, this guidance must be followed for each individual child or young person.

Note: From 6 April 2017, customers will only get the Family Element of Child Tax Credit where they are responsible for a child or children born before that date.

Note: The individual child element of Child Tax Credit will no longer be awarded for third and subsequent children or qualifying young persons in a household, born on or after 6 April 2017, unless they meet the exception criteria.

Guidance

Note: When sending customer, staff or process data to another individual or team, make sure you follow the latest data security guidelines or contact the Data Guardian / Data Security Team for advice.

Step 1

If you are dealing with an expired BF where the case was referred to Organised Attack (OA)

• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

If you are dealing with an expired BF for any other reason, follow the relevant guidance.

If you are not dealing with an expired BF, go to Step 2.

If you are asked to add more than one child with dates of responsibility later than the dates of birth and the children have not been placed with the customer, by an adoption, non-parental caring arrangement or fostering agreement

• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
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• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours
  (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Step 2

Check the status of the claim. For how to do this, use TCM1000025.

If the claim is pre-award, go to Step 3.

If the claim is ceased, go to Step 4.

If the claim is post award and the status is ‘Award Issued’, go to Step 6.

If the claim is post award but the status is not ‘Award Issued’, refer to the TALLO.

If the claim is post award and the status is ‘Award Issued’ but no award is showing, refer to the TALLO.

Step 3

Add or re-include the child or qualifying young person to the claim.

Note: If you are dealing with a claim where an exception marker has been applied to any of the children/young persons included in the claim or the customer is reporting a change relating to an exception contact the Exception Team (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) For how to check if the exception marker has been applied, use TCM1000314

Note: This can only be done at post award.

• enter the reason for the change in the ‘Free Format’ screen. For how to do this, use TCM1000036
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

Step 4

Check if the claim ceased because Universal Credit (UC) has been claimed. For how to do this, use TCM1000500

If the claim ceased because UC has been claimed, go to Step 6.

If the claim ceased for any other reason, go to Step 5.

Step 5

• tell the customer to make a fresh claim. Follow the guidance in TCM0044080
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG03 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

Step 6

Check on the tax credits computer to determine if there are any ‘Unprocessed Change of Circumstances’ work list items to process. For how to do this, use TCM1000142.

If there are Unprocessed Change of Circumstances work list items to process, go to Step 7.

If there are no Unprocessed Change of Circumstances work list items to process, go to Step 8.

Step 7

Process the work list items. Follow the guidance in TCM0054060

Note: Where you need to contact the customer for any missing information make sure you request the information for all of the potential changes at the same time, if possible.

Note: The parts of forms TC664 and TC648 relating to an unprocessed change of circumstance should be marked as ‘UPCoC’ (Unprocessed Change of Circumstance)

• go to Step 8.

Step 8

Check ‘Household Notes’ for one of the following prefixed notes, or a note stating a TC1027 has been issued. The TC1027 advises the customer does not have main responsibility and this has not changed. Follow the guidance in TCM0152020.

• HB47 has been included within the last 8 months and refers to the child or young person that you are being asked to add
• JA16, JA17, JA18, MM25, UA10, UB45, XD01, XD02
• NC36, NC41, NC42, NC46 has been included within the last 8 weeks
• UA02 or UG01 has been included and not superseded by a later dated UA03
• UB09 or UB10 has been included within the last 6 months
• UB81 has been included within the last 12 months
• UG08 has been included within 8 months of today’s date
• UJ30

If none of the above Household notes, signals or message have been included, go to Step 9.

If there is a note stating a TC1027 has been issued

• refer the case to the relevant team
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG11, NG12, NG14 or NG15 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If household note HB47 has been included within the last 8 months and refers to the child or young person you are being asked to add

• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
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• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) .

Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

If household note JA16, JA17, JA18, MM25, UA10, UB45, XD01, XD02 has been included

• refer the case to the relevant team
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG11, NG12, NG14 or NG15 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If household note NC36, NC41, NC42, NC46 has been included within the last 8 weeks

• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

If Household Note UA02 or UG01 has been included and not superseded by a later dated UA03

• refer the case to the relevant team
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG11, NG12, NG14 or NG15 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If Household Note UB09 or UB10 has been included within the last 6 months

• refer the case to the relevant team
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG11, NG12, NG14 or NG15 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If UB81 has been included within the last 12 months

• refer the case to the relevant team
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NG11, NG12, NG14 or NG15 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If household note UG08 has been included within 8 months of today’s date

• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

If Household Note UJ30 is present

• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

Step 9

Check you have all of the information you need to process the customer’s request to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person.

Note: If you are adding children who are part of a multiple birth and the customer already has two or more children on their claim contact the Exception Team (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) .

Note: If you are dealing with a claim where an exception marker has been applied to any of the children/young persons included in the claim or the customer is reporting a change relating to an exception contact the Exception Team (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) . For how to check if the exception marker has been applied, use TCM1000314

Note: All children/qualifying young persons should be added to the award. Customer will still receive the childcare and/or disability element for all children/qualifying young persons if they are entitled, even if they are not in receipt of the child element for that child.

Note: You must obtain the information listed below to be able to decide if the child or qualifying young person can be added or re-included and from what date.

Minimum information needed

• full name and date of birth of the child or qualifying young person to be added or re-included
• the date the child or qualifying young person became part of the customer’s household or the date their circumstances changed
• the date the customer became responsible for the child or qualifying young person or the date they re-joined the household
• the date we received the request to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person
• whether or not the child or qualifying young person was fostered, adopted or under a non-parental caring arrangement

Note: If you are adding a third or subsequent child to the claim and the Date of Responsibility is later than the Date of Birth you will have to establish why and note the reason for this.

• the status of the current claim, the date of claim and the date of the award
• where the child or qualifying young person lives outside of the UK, confirm the date they left the UK
• the dates of any child disability or severe disability
• full details of any childcare charges
• where Child Tax Credit (CTC) is not currently in payment, the preferred pay frequency and who is the main carer in a joint claim.

Additional information needed if the child or qualifying young person is 16 or over

• whether or not the qualifying young person is in full time non-advanced education (FTNAE) and the date they started
• the actual date they enrolled or were accepted for the FTNAE course before their 19th birthday
• name and level of the FTNAE course
• number of hours they are studying per week
• whether or not the qualifying young person is registered with Connexions, Local Authority Support Services or similar service provided by the Local Authority and the date they registered
• whether the child or qualifying young person is in receipt of a benefit in their own right and the date they claimed the benefit.

If you do not have all the information you need, phone the customer, follow the guidance in TCM0094080.

If you contact the customer and obtain the missing information, go to Step 10.

If you contact the customer but they cannot provide the missing information, follow the guidance in TCM0036150.

If you cannot contact the customer, follow the guidance in TCM0036150.

If you have all of the information needed to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person and they are 19, refer to TALLO.

If you have all the information needed to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person and they are living in a Rest Of the World (ROW) country, refer to TALLO.

If you have all the information needed to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person and they live in the UK, go to Step 10.

If you have all the information needed to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person and they are living in a European Union country

• send a redirection sheet to Complex Cases (EU)
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message NC92 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• take no further action.

If you have all the information needed to add or re-include the child or qualifying young person and they have been placed with the customer by the Local Authority, go to Step 12.

Note: For more information about eligibility, use TCM0124100.

Step 10

Check if the child(ren) being added has a date of birth within 8 months of any existing children on the claim. For how to do this, use TCM1000400.

If the child being added has a date of birth within 8 months of any existing children on the claim·

• do not add the child
• (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
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  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
  • (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the message UJ31 from TCM0174040. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• place correspondence in BF for 48 hours.

(This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Note: If the correspondence was digitally scanned, there is no requirement to place it in BF.

If the child being added does not have a date of birth within 8 months of any existing children on the claim, go to Step 11.

Step 11

Check if you are dealing with a customer who is claiming Universal Credit (UC). For how to do this, use TCM1000500.

If you are dealing with a customer who has not claimed UC, go to Step 13.

If you are dealing with a customer who has claimed UC, go to Step 14.

Step 12

Check if the customer is being paid by the Local Authority to look after the child.

If the customer is being paid by the Local Authority to look after the child

• do not add the child
• update ‘Household Notes’ with NG08 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037.

If the customer is not being paid by the Local Authority to look after the child, go back to Step 10.

Step 13

Note: Where you have established that the reason for the Date of Responsibility being later than the Date of Birth is because the child has been adopted, or is under a non-parental caring arrangement, and you are adding a third or subsequent child to the claim you must refer the change (This content has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)

Calculate the start date from which the child or qualifying young person can be added or re-included in the household. Follow the guidance in TCM0042280.

• use the earliest date from the list below as the start date of responsibility
  • the child’s or qualifying person’s date of birth
    or
  • the day the customer became responsible for the child or qualifying young person.
• go to Step 15

Step 14

Calculate the start date from which the child or qualifying young person can be added or re-included in the household. Follow the guidance in TCM0042280.

• use the earliest date from the list below as the start date of responsibility
  • the child’s or qualifying person’s date of birth
    or
  • the day the customer became responsible for the child or qualifying young person.

If the date you want to add or re-include the child or young person is before the UC start date, go to Step 15.

If the date you want to add or re-include the child or young person is after the UC start date

• do not add the child
• update ‘Household notes’ with the message NG08 from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

Step 15

Check if the child or qualifying young person has previously been in the award. For how to do this, use TCM1000241.

Note: If Household Note HB28 is present on the claim you are adding or re-including the child or young person to, remove this Household Note after adding the child.

If you are adding a child or qualifying young person who has previously been in the award

• add the child or qualifying young person to the post award claim. For how to do this, use TCM1000242
• remove HB28 Household Note. For how to do this, use TCM0152120
• go to Step 16.

If you are adding a child or qualifying young person who has not previously been in the award

• add the child or qualifying young person to the post award claim. For how to do this, use TCM1000239
• go to Step 16.

Step 16

Check if the child or qualifying young person has a disability and if they have continued in full time non advanced education (FTNAE). For how to do this, use TCM1000302

If the child or qualifying young person does not have a disability and has continued in FTNAE, go to Step 17.

If the child or qualifying young person does not have a disability and has not continued in FTNAE

• complete the ‘Amend Finish’ screen. For how to do this, use TCM1000032
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the relevant note from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

If the child or qualifying young person does have a disability and has continued in FTNAE, go to Step 17.

If the child or qualifying young person does have a disability and has not continued in FTNAE

Note: Do not add the disability or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Higher Care Component (HCC) / Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (ER).

• complete the ‘Amend Finish’ screen. For how to do this, use TCM1000032
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the relevant note from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• refer the case to the Disability High Risk team
• take no further action.

Step 17

Note: Where you have included the child or qualifying young person in FTNAE/approved training, the system will automatically input a future end date of 31/08/CY.

If you are working the case on or before 31/08/CY

• select ‘OK’ to complete the ‘Amend Finish’ screen
• select ‘Cancel’, this will take you back to the ‘Child’ screen and the ‘Extend Checkbox’ will be available
• tick the ‘Extend Checkbox’
• select ‘OK’
• complete the ‘Amend Finish’ screen. For how to do this, use TCM1000032
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the relevant note from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.

If you are working the case on or after 01/09/CY

• select ‘OK’ to complete the ‘Amend Finish’ screen
• select ‘Cancel’, this will take you back to the ‘Child’ screen and the end date of FTNAE will have automatically been populated as 31/08/CY
• enter a start date of FTNAE of 01/09/CY

Note: This will automatically populate the end date to CY+1 or CY+2 depending on their age.

• select ‘OK’
• update ‘Household Notes’ with the relevant note from TCM0164020. For how to do this, use TCM1000001
• close the document on DMS. For how to do this, use TCM1000037
• take no further action.