Money matters 16 and 17 years old

If you are 16 or 17 years old and living independently, in semi-independent accommodation or supported accommodation; you are entitled to a leaving care maintenance allowance (LCMA) up until you reach 18.  The table below tells you how much you are entitled to depending on the type of home you live in. 

We will support with the cost of rent. this is £90.02 per week. Make sure you can afford rent by finding a home where your rent is no more than this. Your PA will help you!

You can access your setting up home allowance if you need furniture etc for where you live.  Please speak with your PA and they will support you in how best to use this.

If you are in full time education or training, check to see if you can claim the 16 to 19 Bursary - your pa will help you.

Studying at level 2, going into higher education or learning English?

Your PA will help you to choose a laptop to help you on your course This can cost up to £325 - you can only use this once.

Need a bit of extra help with education?

You could have extra support from a tutor. Your PA will tell you more.

Got a job? this section tells you what support we will give you whether it is full or part time

When you start to earn money your leaving care maintenance allowance might reduce gradually.

This is different for everyone so please discuss with your PA who will explain this in more detail.

We know that seeing your family and other people is important to you. this section tells you all about our support with getting about.

Learning to drive

We will support you with learning to drive get a moped or motorbike, but you can not have any driving convictions We will:

• Pay for your provision license
• Pay for 5 driving lessons
• Pay for one theory test
• pay for one driving practical test

You will need to have been in education, training and employment for 3 months to get this offer.

It's your birthday!! We want to celebrate with you and buy you a gift.

There might be certain times in the year where you want to celebrate your culture and/or religion and we wanted to make sure that you can do this. 

Healthy Start?

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We’ll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

• Plain liquid cow’s milk
• Fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
• Fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
• Infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect:

• Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

Applying

If you’re receiving a qualifying benefit and are pregnant or have parental responsibility for at least one child under the age of 4, you can apply online now for the NHS Healthy Start card (opens in a new tab).

You will receive:

• £4.25 each week of your pregnancy (from the 10th week of your pregnancy)
• £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1 year old
• £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4 years old

Your money will stop after your child’s 4th birthday, or if you no longer receive benefits.

You can also get free Healthy Start vitamins.  These are important to support your pregnancy and if you chose to breast feed. The vitamin drops for you child will also support their growth and development. 

Under 18 and on benefits

If you’re under 18 and more than 10 weeks pregnant, you qualify for Healthy Start until your baby is born. You do not need to receive any of the qualifying benefits or be getting tax credits. To apply, you need to call us on 0300 330 7010 and provide:

• Your baby’s due date
• A copy of your birth certificate
• Your NHS number
• Your National Insurance number

Find out about call charges (opens in a new tab).

After your baby is born, you will only continue to qualify for Healthy Start if you get the qualifying benefits or tax credits. To make sure you continue to receive Healthy Start vouchers once your baby is born, you should:

• Call us on 0300 330 7010
• Apply for Child Tax Credits as soon as you can
• Inform Universal Credit by updating your online account
• Reapply online and make a new claim

If you do not do this, your payment will stop 4 weeks after your baby’s due date.

Working Tax Credit

If you, your partner, or your carer get Working Tax Credit (WTC), you do not qualify for Healthy Start unless you’re under 18 and pregnant or you’re only getting the WTC 4 week run-on. WTC run-on is what you receive in the 4 weeks immediately after you have stopped working for 16 hours or more per week. 

The passport to leisure scheme provides free and reduced access to leisure provision for all of our children and young people up to the age of 25 years.

The scheme entitles the individual to free and reduced access to the activities outlined below at the following locations:

• Palatine Leisure Centre, 207 St Annes Road, Blackpool, FY4 2AP
• Blackpool Sports Centre, West Park Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9HQ
• Moor Park Health & Leisure Centre, Bristol Avenue, Blackpool, FY2 0JG

You are able to access the following at these sites:

Free activities:

• Casual swimming
• Badminton*
• Table tennis*
• Fitness room access
• Casual rock climbing and bouldering
• Athletics track

*Free use of badminton and table tennis court, enables the individual to bring a friend to play with for free.

Half price instructor led activities, including:

• Gymnastics
• Rock climbing courses
• Exercise classes
• Swimming lessons
• Roller skating
• Netball coaching
• Basketball coaching

The range of activities is growing all the time, so the above lists are not all inclusive – check out our website for an up to date list of activities on offer, for all ages. You can also download the Active Blackpool App from your App Store.

Don't Life in Blackpool?  We will pay for a gym membership at a Council Leisure Center in the area you live in. 

There are other things that we do to help and support you.  The table below outlines these for you.