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Moving from Illness benefit to Back to Education allowance

  • 29-06-2011 5:28pm
    #1
    bluebelles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭


    I have been in receipt of illness benefit since January this year, I am still recieving a weekly cert from my doctor and have not being called for a medical assessment by social welfare yet.

    I am hoping to be fit to take up a postgrad course in September but according to the welfare website I must be on illness benefit for 2 years before I become eligable for BTEA.

    I have however been out of work for 2 and a half years now. In that time I've spent 1 year on Unemployment benefit, 6 months on Unemployment assistance, 6 months on a FAS training course, and now 6 months on Illness benefit.

    Do I qualify for BTEA?


Comments

  • #2
    mp22
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 6,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭mp22


    Periods spent on Illness Benefit can count towards the 3 month(78 days ) qualifying period for Second Level Option (SLO) and the 9 month (234 days) for Third Level Option (TLO), provided that at least 50% of the qualifying period was spent on the relevant Social Welfare Payment that actually qualifies the person for participation in the BTEA Scheme. ( For e.g. if a person is applying for BTEA from a jobseekers payment for a TLO course, they must have a total of 9 months, half of which must be from jobseekers claims and the balance can be IB)

    In the case of Illness Benefit recipients, periods spent on other BTEA relevant qualifying payments (JA/JB etc.) can be used to make up the 2 year qualifying period for IB recipients provided that at least 50% of the 2 years (12 months) is IB.


    from here http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/bte_all.aspx#1.10


  • #3
    bluebelles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭bluebelles


    mp22 wrote: »

    In the case of Illness Benefit recipients, periods spent on other BTEA relevant qualifying payments (JA/JB etc.) can be used to make up the 2 year qualifying period for IB recipients provided that at least 50% of the 2 years (12 months) is IB.

    Sorry, I'm still a little confused by what that means. Does that mean that I HAVE to be on IB for 12 months before I can count the JA/JB time towards BTEA? So I don't qualify?


  • #4
    mp22
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 6,854 Mod ✭✭✭✭mp22


    As I understand it if you move from IB to BTEA the 2 year rules apply.

    You really need to call in to the social welfare and ask.


  • #5
    cee_jay
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,920 ✭✭✭cee_jay


    If you wish to start college in September and are still in receipt of Illness Benefit at that stage, then you will need to be on Illness benefit for at least a year if you are using a combination of payments. However if you were fit for work prior to starting college, your illness benefit would count towards your qualifying period on Jobseekers.


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