Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit can include an amount for a 16-19 year old as your dependent child if they count as a ‘Qualifying Young Person’. Only include a 16-19 as a child in the calculator if they are covered by the rules below. 

Young people in higher education (higher than GCSE, A level, SCE higher level or NVQ/SVQ level 3) do not count as a 'Qualifying Young Person' for Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit. If your child is not a qualifying young person you should include them as another adult in the household by saying 'yes' to 'Does anyone else live in your home?'

A 'Qualifying Young Person' for Child Tax Credit is someone who is:

• 16 years old until the 31 August following their 16th birthday, or
• 16 or 17 years old who is registered for work, education or training in certain circumstances
• Under 20 years and in full-time non-advanced education or approved training, so long as this commenced before the age of 19. 

A 'Qualifying Young Person' for Universal Credit child element is someone who has reached the age of 16 but not 20, up to but not including:

• the 1 September following their 16th birthday; or
• the 1 September following their 19th birthday, if they are enrolled on, or accepted for, approved training or a course of non-advanced education

IMPORTANT: If you are claiming Universal Credit and have a 19 year old in approved training or non-advanced education, you should still include them as a dependant child and the calculator will work out if a child element should be included in Universal Credit for them. Although your Child Benefit will continue for this child until they turn 20, the Universal Credit child element will not be included from 31 August following their 19th birthday. If their birthday is 31 August a child element will not be included them from their 19th birthday.