Transition to Adulthood (16-25): A Kent SEND Guide

The Transition Timeline

Here's what happens and when:

Year 9 (Age 13-14) — Start Planning

• EHCP reviews must include preparation for adulthood from Year 9
• Request a review of the EHCP with transition as focus
• Think about future goals: college, employment, living independently

Year 11 (Age 15-16) — Key Decisions

• EHCP must be reviewed with a focus on post-16 options
• Compare college, apprenticeships and work combined with part-time education or training
• Plan how the young person will use their EHCP decision rights after compulsory school age, with support as needed
• Discuss whether a Care Act transition assessment would be of significant benefit now; there is no fixed starting age

Age 16 — Benefits Change

• Child Benefit normally stops on 31 August on or after the sixteenth birthday unless qualifying education or training continues and HMRC is told. It may continue until 20 under the detailed rules. Check Child Benefit after 16.
• DWP normally invites a young person receiving child DLA to claim PIP after their sixteenth birthday; follow the invitation deadline
• You may be able to claim Carer's Allowance

Age 18 — Adulthood

• An EHCP may continue beyond 19, potentially up to 25, if it remains necessary for special educational provision
• Adult care needs and eligibility are assessed under the Care Act; turning 18 does not automatically qualify someone for funded services
• May be eligible for NHS Continuing Health Care

EHCP at 16+

Turning 16 does not by itself end an EHCP. Plan for the young person's next stage and check how their rights and support develop:

• EHCP decision rights transfer after compulsory school age — normally after the last Friday in June of the school year in which the child turns 16, rather than on their sixteenth birthday. These include rights over assessment, the plan and appeals. See the statutory definition of a young person.
• Parents can continue to help — discuss the support the young person wants. The SEND Code of Practice, paragraphs 8.13–8.19, explains involvement and decision-making support.
• Mental capacity is decision-specific — where the young person cannot make a particular decision, the Mental Capacity Act and representative arrangements apply. An autism diagnosis does not by itself remove their decision rights.
• Continuation is individual — education or training does not automatically guarantee an EHCP until 25. The council must follow the review and decision process. Read the DfE guidance on plans after 19.

Benefits at 16+

Benefits to Check for Your Young Person

• PIP (Personal Independence Payment)
  DWP normally invites a young person on child DLA to claim after their 16th birthday. DLA can continue during the PIP decision if the invitation deadline is met.
  Follow the DWP invitation and current GOV.UK claim route.
• Universal Credit
  The usual minimum age is 18. Some 16- and 17-year-olds qualify under specific exceptions, including certain disability circumstances. Full-time students face separate rules; being out of work or working few hours alone is not the complete test.
  Check current eligibility and get advice on the family's overall benefits before claiming. A young person's Universal Credit can affect Child Benefit.

Benefits to Check as a Parent Carer

• Carer's Allowance
  For 2026–27, the rate is £86.45 a week and earnings must be £204 or less a week after allowable deductions. You must also meet the 35-hour caring rule, qualifying-benefit requirement and other conditions.
  Check all Carer's Allowance conditions.

College Support

Ask the college and council how the young person's support will be delivered:

• Section F provision — the local authority has the duty to secure the special educational provision in an EHCP it maintains. If support is missing, raise this with the college and the council. See section 42 of the Children and Families Act.
• Application dates vary — check the course provider's deadline and process. Use KCC's Kent Choices course and application route to explore options; this is separate from the council's EHCP review and placement duties.
• Ask about learning support — discuss how the course and support arrangements would meet the young person's needs

Explore Kent College Options

Use the Kent Choices course finder to search by provider, subject or area. Arrange a visit and talk to the learning-support team about the course, accessibility and required support before deciding.

Adult Social Care

Turning 18 does not automatically make someone eligible for funded adult care. Under Care Act section 9, an assessment is required where it appears that an adult may have care and support needs, regardless of finances. The council then determines which needs meet the eligibility criteria; any financial assessment is a separate step.

Ask About a Transition Assessment

There is no fixed age of 16 or 17 for this assessment. Under Care Act section 58, the council must assess a child likely to need care and support after 18 when doing so would be of significant benefit, subject to the applicable consent conditions. The timing should help the young person prepare for adulthood.

A young person or someone acting for them can request an assessment. If the council declines, ask for its written reasons and advice on the next steps. See Care Act factsheet 11 and Kent's current adult social care contact and referral routes.

Discuss Support That Fits the Assessed Needs

This might include help at home, activities, supported living or direct payments, depending on the assessment and care plan. Ask how any support will be arranged and funded.

NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Adult NHS continuing healthcare is for people aged 18 or over assessed as having a primary health need. It is an NHS-arranged and funded package for assessed health and associated social care needs. Autism or complex needs alone do not establish eligibility. Children's continuing care uses a different framework.

The adult CHC national framework sets out transition preparation for young people who may qualify:

• At 14: children's services should identify likely future need and notify the responsible integrated care board (ICB).
• At 16: a formal referral should be made for screening by the adult CHC team.
• After the seventeenth birthday: adult eligibility should be determined in principle as soon as practicable, allowing an appropriate package to start at 18 if eligible. Changing needs may require a further check.

Ask the existing health team how transition planning and the adult assessment will be coordinated. See the framework's transition section, pages 105–107. An adult award is not an automatic continuation of children's funding.

Employment Support

Preparing for work:

• Supported Internships — programmes with employers
• Access to Work — government grant for workplace adjustments
• Kent Supported Employment — local service

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Contacts in Kent

• Kent SEND Enquiries Hub — current contact options for EHC plan and assessment enquiries.
• Kent Adult Social Care — current referral and contact routes.
• Information, Advice and Support Kent (IASK) — Kent's free, impartial SEND information and advice service.
• IPSEA Advice Line — information on booking a free SEND advice appointment; check the service's current availability and criteria.