BTEA finishing, summer claim

MarcHilton

Hey folks. BTEA is due to finish on my second level course very soon and I have still been unable to secure any sort of employment for afterwards. Does my previous JSA claim resume once I finish and contact the SWO? As in, I was on 188 as I've been on it since about 2009, will I continue to receive this? This is pretty important as during the summer my house mate goes down to 100 which can be handled but if I go down to 144, the new rate, then we literally won't be able to pay for rent/bills etc anymore. Any info is appreciated, thank you very much.

MarcHilton

Hmm, seems like no one really knows?

wmpdd3

Your rate goes back to the minimum payment for JSA. If you circumstances havent changed then you'll get what you got last time. Is the €144 due to your age? Its €188 for over 26 means tested.

MarcHilton

I was on 204 when I first claimed in 2009, then dropped to.. 196 was it? And then 188. I began my course in September of last year, and it finishes next month. I am still living with a housemate, paying rent/bills and trying to secure a job as I was during the last 2 years, even while in college. I'm 23. When applying we asked would our rate change and were told it wouldn't, otherwise, to be honest we wouldn't have gone for BTEA had we known it'd mean we'd risk being dropped to an unlivable level taking into account our rent and bills. I do not have a "family home" to return to and literally have no other way of surviving whilst making the insane amount of job applications per week that I currently do. My housemate is 20 and during the summer she drops to 100 a week, which will be difficult enough, then she is heading to her second year of her FETAC course. As far as I can tell, my circumstances have not changed since I was last receiving JSA, but if I'm put on a lower rate, they will change detrimentally.

Balagan

As you were on the full rate and not an age-reduced rate prior to starting your course , you will be restored to full rate payment if you can't find work and your means etc., remains the same as before.


Exceptions to age related Jobseeker's Allowance payments for people under 25

The reduced age related personal and qualified adult rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance for claimants under 25 years of age do not apply in the following cases:

Claimants with dependent children
People transferring to Jobseeker’s Allowance immediately after finishing their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit
People transferring from Disability Allowance to Jobseeker’s Allowance
Where an existing Jobseeker’s Allowance claimant is assessed at the higher rate of allowance gets work but loses that job and is back on Jobseeker’s Allowance within 12 months
People under 25 participating in a course of education, training or Community Employment. However, when the course ends you will return to an age related JA payment, if you were getting one before you started the course. You were at least 20 years of age on 30 December 2009 and became unemployed on or before 30 December 2009
You were 18 or 19 on 30 December 2009 and you became unemployed on or before 29 April 2009
You are 22 to 24 and taking part in the Work Placement Programme run by FÁS
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html