working part time and back to education allowance

snowy25

Hi everybody!

I was wondering if someone could help me in relation to working part time before starting to claim back to education allowance.

I may get a part time job working in a supermarket but I am also planning on going back to college in september. I am eligible for the back to education allowance but I was wondering if i got a part time job now would this affect my chances of getting back to education allowance in september.

I have been unemployed for quite a while and a part time job would be great in building my confidence again but i really need the allowance to get me through college.

Can anyone help me? Any advice would be great.

Lugh Ildanach

You will not lose your entitlement to Back to Education as long as you are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before starting your course. You can work up to three days a week and keep your Jobseekers payment (although it will be reduced depending on how much you are earning).

Of course while on Jobseekers you do have to be looking for and available for full-time work, and will be expected to take up any reasonable offer of employment, even if it means not qualifying for BTEA or not going to college in September.

Scientist1

Hi, sorry If I'm on the wrong thread, but my friend is just finished 1st year of a 4 year 3rd level course and has found a job for the Summer.

Dose this mean he will lose the BTEA for the following year since he is not in receipt of social welfare payments during the Summer? (Sounds crazy I know!) - That's like forcing a student onto the dole for the Summer!!!

Balagan

Where BTEA participants (Second or Third Level Option) are unable to find employment during the summer period, subject to satisfying the usual qualifying conditions, they may be entitled to claim an unemployment payment (JA/JB)...

...BTEA participants who are progressing to the next year of their course or who are progressing in second level or third level undergraduate qualifications will have their BTEA reinstated from the commencement of the new academic year irrespective of whether they were in receipt of an unemployment payment for the summer period. All participants must supply written confirmation from school/college/institute that they have registered as a full-time day student for the new academic year.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/pages/bte_all.aspx

wmpdd3

Scientist1 wrote: »

Hi, sorry If I'm on the wrong thread, but my friend is just finished 1st year of a 4 year 3rd level course and has found a job for the Summer.

Dose this mean he will lose the BTEA for the following year since he is not in receipt of social welfare payments during the Summer? (Sounds crazy I know!) - That's like forcing a student onto the dole for the Summer!!!

AFAIK, yes.

We were told, even if you claim JSA for the days you did't work during the summer you lose your entitlement to BTEA. You have to stay not working.

Its sounds made but thats what the 'schemes section in the SW office say'.

Balagan

wmpdd3 wrote: »

AFAIK, yes.

We were told, even if you claim JSA for the days you did't work during the summer you lose your entitlement to BTEA. You have to stay not working.

Its sounds made but thats what the 'schemes section in the SW office say'.

The above information is incorrect.

On summers between academic years of the course for which you are on BTEA you can, if you get work, work full-time or part time and return to your BTEA payment when the academic term commences. If you do not find summer employment, you can apply for JSA and, if eligible and receive payment, you still return to BTEA when the acadamic year of your ongoing course commences.

BTEA participants who progress to the next year of their course or who are progressing in second level or third level undergraduate qualifications are eligible to have their BTEA (SLO/TLO) reinstated from the commencement of the new academic year.

This provision applies irrespective of whether the BTEA participant, works for the summer, goes abroad for the summer, signs on for the summer or signs for the summer and exhausts JB entitlement.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:vIPE5AvMeG0J:193.178.94.12/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/ja_jobseekall.aspx+btea+summer&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie&source=www.google.ie

...BTEA participants who are progressing to the next year of their course or who are progressing in second level or third level undergraduate qualifications will have their BTEA reinstated from the commencement of the new academic year irrespective of whether they were in receipt of an unemployment payment for the summer period.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Operational...s/bte_all.aspx

wmpdd3

What if the person has finished a 2nd level course (PLC) and applied for a 3rd level course?

Balagan

wmpdd3 wrote: »

What if the person has finished a 2nd level course (PLC) and applied for a 3rd level course?

Once you finish the course for which you had received BTEA then you are no longer a BTEA participant and have to apply again to go onto another course. The qualifying condition for a 3rd level course:

If you wish to attend a third level course you must be getting one of the social welfare payments listed below for 9 months (234 days of unemployment*) immediately before you start the course...

Time already spent on BTEA can count for the qualifying period so your time on the 2nd level course for which you received BTEA will be included in the 9 months qualifying time but as there will be more than 4 weeks before you finishing the course for which you had BTEA and starting BTEA for another higher course then you do have to be in receipt of a Social Welfare payment immediately before taking up the second course.


Time spent on BTEA, VTOS, FÁS training courses, Fáilte Ireland Training course, Community Employment schemes, FIT, Rural Social Scheme, Back to Work Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, FÁS Job Initiative, Revenue Job Assist, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, in prison or in Direct Provision can count towards the qualifying period. You may go directly from one of the above schemes to Back to Education Allowance provided you were getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments listed above before you started the scheme. You must start your approved course of study within four weeks of leaving the scheme. Otherwise you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before starting an approved course of study.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/ThirdLevelOption.aspx

wmpdd3

My argument is he would be getting a part payment of JSA while working 3 days a week, but we were told no, he must just receive JSA for the summer to be considered for BTEA in October IF he gets a college place.

cupan

my brother's daughter is geting the BTEA and she is going into year 3 in September. She did her sencond year exams in May but she continues to receive the allowance into her account every week, she has been unable to secure a summer job. Will she continue to receive the allowance for the summer if she continues to be unemployed or will they cut her off at the end of this month??

cee_jay

If she is available for and looking for full time work, she needs to contact her local office as soon as she has finished her course to make a jobseeker's claim for the summer.

LimerickDan

I know I can work while on the back to education allownace, my question is will I get sauced when my summer holidays start and im still in part time work? or would I be better off not having a part time job during the summer?

Hailhail1967

Thread revival.

Just wondering if anyone can clear up this.

If you are working 3 days a week and recieving jobseekers for the rest of the days on slips for 3 years, are you still entitled to BTEA?

Mahogany

Hi

I was offered a part time job and was approved for BTEA.

It will more then likely be more then 3 days. Will I still get BTEA?

haveringchick

Mahogany wrote: »

Hi

I was offered a part time job and was approved for BTEA.

It will more then likely be more then 3 days. Will I still get BTEA?

Yes you will

Mahogany

haveringchick wrote: »

Yes you will

But doesn't the btea take about 6 weeks to come through?

So i will have to sign on and work?

Newport81

Hi I'm final year student have been getting BTEA for past few years. I work part time and have just been informed by BtEA that I am going to be means tested I asked them does that not only apply to new entrants and she said no? Can anyone help?