PREDICAMENT

superbad50

hi guys. i have been offered a place on a 4 year honour degree course. my situation is , i was made redundant a year ago.I am 31 years of age. have a mortgage, bills , the usual. the way things stand i would be on 350 a week with my entitlements plus i earn 120 from par-time work. I have been offered a job paying 500 a week. The job offer came out of nowhere and really wasn't expecting it , this has made me somewhat indecisive on whether or not to commit to college or take the job. I would hate to take the job and then 6 months after the probationary period be let go and miss the opportunity to return to college especially when next year i would lose most of my entitlements.
As well as that i am currently approaching my second year of my higher cert in business ( par-time) with the NCIRL, so this is another obstacle for me to decide on.

What would you do guys?

captainstacy

That's a hard choice. But at least you have options which you mightn't have had a week ago.

How are you getting 350 a week on entitlements? that's good going

superbad50

I receive mortgage interest supplement at the moment and by the time i start college I will be eligible to apply for fuel allowance. Mortgage interest supplement is a short term payment from the HSE to help people in financial difficulties by paying off a percentage of their interest on their residency. as far as i know I can claim for the duration of the course

Moomia

As far as I'm aware you can only receive the Mortgage interest supplement for a maximum of a year! If you were to do a 4 year degree you wouldn't get it for the 4 years. Just to note aswell i think you might not be entitled to it any more if you go into a 4 year degree...i'm not sure on this now but just check it out to be sure!

superbad50

hi moomia ,

As far as i was aware as long as you qualify for the back to education allowance you will keep an entitlement to it. I think it then it is mean's tested. I also spoke with a welfare officer, a friend of the family and she told me the same.

If this is not the case i may have to rethink things. I will ring the department of education tomorrow to clarify this.

if anyone else can clarify this I would be very grateful

thank's for response

MagicMarker

Why not work and do a degree part time?

superbad50

yes it will certainly be an option. To be honest I would much prefer to do the degree full-time and work par-time. Even if this is the case regarding the supplement I may just make enough on my par-time salary to cover my overheads, although it will be a tight squeeze to say the least. If i cannot claim the interest relief i think I will still go ahead with the degree but if there is some extra funds i am entitled to and can claim along the way that will make things that bit easier for me than i will gladly accept

Moomia

askaboutmoney.ie or citizens advice might be able to offer more advice...i don't know whether being a student will change it for def but i do think its only available for a year.

Do look into it tho because i could be wrong i'm not a 100% on it but just thought i should post so you could look into it rather than go ahead with your degree and find half way through that help is gone.....i really hope i'm wrong for you though!

superbad50

hi moomia,

thanks for the advice. i will defo look into tomorrow for sure. You say i may only get for 1 year but I am already claiming into the 2nd year as i have been unemployed for 14 months. I know they review your case after 1 year which was the case for me. i actually got more money the 2nd year. nonetheless i will certainly be onto the relevant bodies tomorrow.

thanks again for the information

Moomia

Wow well then that's brilliant you will get it so....just check that you becoming a full time student won't change it, you're the first person i have heard of getting this for more than 1 year! I have always disagreed with that to be honest because what are people supposed to do when they still haven't got a job after 1 year!! That's brill thanks for that i will be passin that info on...hopefully it means they are changing the way they do things now!

superbad50

yes so hopefully there will be no other snags. I spoke with a friend of the family , who is a welfare officer who primarily deals with education and she told me that under my circumstances I can claim for the duration of the course.

I hope you hasn't got it wrong. I will keep you posted when i enquire tomorrow

captainstacy

I know it might be easier short term to take the job, but will it be worth the hardship of the next 4 years if you have better job prospects?

Let us know how you get on with the mortgage interest suppliment, I'm sure lots are wondering the same thing.

superbad50

yes i totally agree, especially with the way a lot of companies are making the most out of the recession and messing people about , with what breaking contracts , offering poor salaries and treating staff unfairly. It really pisses me off.:mad:

I most surely will post back as soon as i can get some solid information.

thank's for replies guys

W86indow

superbad50 wrote: »

hi moomia ,

As far as i was aware as long as you qualify for the back to education allowance you will keep an entitlement to it. I think it then it is mean's tested. I also spoke with a welfare officer, a friend of the family and she told me the same.

If this is not the case i may have to rethink things. I will ring the department of education tomorrow to clarify this.

if anyone else can clarify this I would be very grateful

thank's for response

f you are unemployed, getting a One-Parent Family Payment or have a disability, you may attend a second-or third-level education course and get the Back to Education Allowance. The weekly Allowance is paid at a standard rate and is not means-tested.

just got that off citizens information , not means tested .