BTEA debacle

charlie_says

Hello,


I applied for Back To Education Allowance several months ago in Galway. My college education starts next Monday 14th September. Today is 9th!

I still have not received any confirmation on whether I have been accepted or not to the scheme. Today is 9th!
This is troubling me, as I don't know if next week or not there will be any payment for me as I start college.

I have been in to see the people in my local office, which is very difficult for me to travel to and takes up best part of a day to do, and is expensive. They told me they don't have any information yet. I have phoned the local office at least four times a week for the last three weeks. I have been answered twice, and then put on hold indefinitely. I am currently on a call as I type this, it has been half an hour in total. Still haven't spoken to anyone yet. I have tried ringing the 1890 number but they just put me in the limbo hold zone, eventually the phone disconnects after a couple of hundred rings.

How do they expect people to plan for anything with this kind of service? Why will they not answer the phone? This is a highly distressing situation for me - I don't know if next week payments will be cut off, will I be able to buy food and pay my rent? Let alone if I can go to college. I need the payment to service a loan that is paying for my fees.

I just wish they would answer my question. me. :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

I know we are not supposed to give out on this forum, but I had to vent somewhere, pulling my hair out here.

edit: I wrote to them today, I suppose I will get a response....

Xiney

That must be so frustrating.

Unfortunately I have nothing to add except that in my experience, going down to the office is the best way to get things done. Could you find a lift down into town sometime?

charlie_says

Some one suggested to me today that if they haven't processed it yet, then it is likley that my JA will continue anyway until it is. One would hope anyhow.

Anyway I have done about as much as I can for now, I will be going in again tomorrow, which means a whole day of study wiped for me (not all of us sit on our holes!).

Between the letter and a renewed phone call campaign this afternoon, I think I have done the right thing.....

Xiney

can you bring some reading in with you for while you're waiting?

Also if you have time before the bus, you can study in the library (which is just next door to the SWO)


It's not ideal but it'll help

Clueless09

go to the mature student section and see the thread i put up on BTEA-GALWAY, we're all in the same boat im afraid!
i went in two weeks ago to the SW office to ask for an update and all i got was a boll*cking and told to go home and wait for a letter-i left my form in to them in July and they could not give me any update.
I have paid my registration and all and I have started at college and i would be flipped if they refused me. Someone else was in to them yesterday and was told it could be October before we hear anything!! so just sign as usual and collect your JSB until you hear any different.
It is such a pain i know, i took a chance and paid my registration fee but in reality i would have to suffer the loss and drop out if i was refused BTEA-i would have nothing to live on without it....

uoluol

Many offices are only processing BTEA this week. They can't physically be inputted into the system until after the date you commence college. There's modern social welfare systems for you :rolleyes:

An ex colleague who works in a SWLO has told me he has 61 applications to process. And that's just one person. His colleagues have about the same number each. And the applications are growing by the day.

It's horrible, but unfortunately in many offices, these won't receive priority as your JA/JB payment continues until your claim is physically processed. Appalling I agree, but the local office staff are barely dealing with the current onslaught of claims and then always at this time of year it's madness with BTEA claims. They used to be centralised in one office, but the powers that be decided to decentralise the workload. Naturally no extra staffing....

But, if you have read the booklet that came with the application form, and you figure that you qualify try not to worry. I know easier said than done. As I said most offices are only processing the claims this week, as most colleges only started back now.The book allowance is not normally paid out until November time, when all the VTOS listings have been returned by the colleges.

charlie_says

Thank you all for your input.

Xiney

The Galway office seems a shambles alright.

Even in the JSA/JSB wait time thread it seems to be the worst of all.