Have FAS course, what happens after?

bongi69

Was made redundant in Oct 09 and have been on Jobseekers Benefit ever since.

Am starting a FAS course tommorow (full time), that I applied for under my own initiative, i.e. the welfare didn't ask me to go do something. I've now signed off the dole to be paid by FAS.

My question is, if I do not find full time employment when my course is over, what happens when I go to sign on again? Is my claim reopened, or does it start all over again?

The reason I ask is I will be 23 when the course finishes, and am a little afraid that I'll end up on the lower rates, just because I did something proactive trying to find a job.

I don't think welfare will ever ask you to attend a FAS course? It's up to FAS to ask you, and that'd be a rare thing if they did bother.


At the end of the FAS course, you'll be given an SC4 form which states that you were on the FAS course for the duration of it. You'll bring this to Welfare with you and you'll open a new claim.

I'm in Drogheda, so I don't know if it's the samy system nation-wide or not, but you'll go down on a Monday and tell them you want to sign back on, they'll set up an appointment for the followin day when you call down again and they'll take your forms off you (SC4 and new claimant forms) and they'll let you know during that week (usually) if your claim is rejected/accepted.

Upon acceptance, you'll collect your money the following tuesday (or whatever day you usually collect your money) along with any back-dated money owed to you.


You'll do a line week on the FAS course so should have your first welfare payment and and last FAS payment pretty close togheter = happy days.


All the SC4 form does is states that you were on the course and that you have a valid reason for leaving welfare for the duration you left. It means you will not get the reduced rates as you will be a 'repeat claim', rather than a unique one.

It'll be as though you never left.


Just to note, if you do another FAS course after this, once you're unemployed for 12 months, you can claim a FAS bonus that gives you an extre €30 a week. Silly bonus, but it's nice to get. Time spent on FAS courses counts towards time 'unemployed' to both FAS and Welfare.


EDIT; When you're 23 you're entitled to the full rate anyway aren't you? or is that 24? I just re-read your post, if you're afraid you'll be on the lower rate while on the course, then no, you wont, FAS will match your welfare Payment.

bongi69

Deleted User wrote: »

I don't think welfare will ever ask you to attend a FAS course? It's up to FAS to ask you, and that'd be a rare thing if they did bother.


At the end of the FAS course, you'll be given an SC4 form which states that you were on the FAS course for the duration of it. You'll bring this to Welfare with you and you'll open a new claim.

I'm in Drogheda, so I don't know if it's the samy system nation-wide or not, but you'll go down on a Monday and tell them you want to sign back on, they'll set up an appointment for the followin day when you call down again and they'll take your forms off you (SC4 and new claimant forms) and they'll let you know during that week (usually) if your claim is rejected/accepted.

Upon acceptance, you'll collect your money the following tuesday (or whatever day you usually collect your money) along with any back-dated money owed to you.


You'll do a line week on the FAS course so should have your first welfare payment and and last FAS payment pretty close togheter = happy days.


All the SC4 form does is states that you were on the course and that you have a valid reason for leaving welfare for the duration you left. It means you will not get the reduced rates as you will be a 'repeat claim', rather than a unique one.

It'll be as though you never left.


Just to note, if you do another FAS course after this, once you're unemployed for 12 months, you can claim a FAS bonus that gives you an extre €30 a week. Silly bonus, but it's nice to get. Time spent on FAS courses counts towards time 'unemployed' to both FAS and Welfare.


EDIT; When you're 23 you're entitled to the full rate anyway aren't you? or is that 24? I just re-read your post, if you're afraid you'll be on the lower rate while on the course, then no, you wont, FAS will match your welfare Payment.

Thanks for that. I wasn;t worried about getting a reduced payment while at FAS, I know that much. I'll actually be getting an extra fiver for travel.

It was just the period between leaving FAS and finding a job that I was concerned about.