Rates of Payments for Fas Course

emg74

First time poster but have been browsing for a while.

I have done a search but can't find an answer.

I am currently on JSA - Getting just under €70pw. OH is self employed. I am due to start a 16wk Fas Course next Tues. I was talking to someone in Fas a while back and they said that the rate of payment was equivalent to JSB but from reading form F103 which I had to get filled in the dole office, it says that "fas will pay an equivalent allowance while the person is in training" - Does this mean that I will just get what I am getting on JSA ??

Am having a bit of a panic as training centre is 1/2 hr drive away so will cost a fair bit in diesel for each week. I would like to do the course but at the minute OH's money is a bit erratic and things are very tight. Don't want to end up out of pocket by doing the course

Anyone else move from JSA to Fas training and know what the payment rates are ?

Thanks

Balagan

It certainly is confusing. The Citizens Information leaflet A below says you will get the same amount of social welfare, whether JSB or JSA, which you are presently receiving, while the Fas website B below says that even if you are on a reduced payment of JSB/JSA you will receive the standard (full) amount while on the full-time Fas Course.

A Your situation when on a FÁS course will depend on the social welfare payment you are getting, as follows:

Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance
Your payment is suspended but you will get a FÁS training allowance of the same amount.
You will get a training bonus of €20 per week if you:
Have been getting Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance for 12 months or more, or
Are progressing from at least 12 months on a FÁS Community Employment (CE) or Job Initiative (JI) programme or
Have been involved in a combination of the above. For example, if you have been getting Jobseeker's Benefit for 6 months and have been on a Community Employment scheme for another 6 months of the previous year.

You can also claim an accommodation allowance if you need to live away from home for the duration of the course or a travel allowance if you live 3 miles or more from the course centre. You may qualify for a free childcare place for your child.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/vocational_education_and_training/fas_training_programmes_and_supports/fas_training_allowances.html

B If a persons Social Welfare allowance is lower than the standard allowance, FÁS will pay the standard allowance for the full duration of the course (except where trainees are on a part time course in which case they will receive the part-time allowance above).http://www.fas.ie/en/Allowances+and+Grants/Training+Allowances/default.htm

im a believer

as far as i know its full social welfare around 196 i think and then 20 training allowance

emg74

Rang them today and as far as I can gather, It will be the same as the JSA that I currently get.

Course starts tomorrow so I will know for sure then.

Hope there is someone on it that I can share the driving with. As it stands, I will probably be worse off on the course for the next 16wks. When you take diesel, lunches etc into account. I am entitled to the CETS scheme for one of the kids and will be depending on my dad to pick up the oldest lad from school for the few months. But I can't refuse it and hopefully it will help in my search for work

I am interested in doing the course but at this minute it is nearly more trouble than it is worth.

sassa

just finished a course a couple of weeks ago we were given a booklet with rates of payment these are the rates listed.

age group | full time | part time
aged 16 years | €76.65 | €44.10
aged 17 years | €99.75 | €55.10
aged 18 years &
older (subject to
ja/jb allowance) | €188.00 | €108.20

If a learners social welfare entitlement exceeds the total training allowance, a sum equivalent to this will be paid on receipt of certified evidence to this effect.

Persons in receipt of job seekers benefit/allowance for 12 months or more are also entitled to a training bonus of €20 per week.

emg74

Yeah, The FAS site seems to indicate €188 but citizens info seems to say different. Then when I rang FAS today they said that they pay whatever you get on SW but from my experience different people in FAS say very different things !!! The FAS lady that I had my appointment with a few months ago led me to believe that the payment rate when on a course was €188.

I am very confused and am hoping for the higher amount

Sassa, Were you on JSB (Stamps) or JSA (means tested) before you started course & did you get the €188? Hope you don't mind me asking.

sassa

I was on job seekers allowance and got the 188 plus the training and lunch allowance. Il try to scan in and upload the info we were given with the rates. The guy we met from fas on the first day of the course said the payments weren't means tested.

emg74

Thanks Sassa, Fingers crossed that it will be the €188. It would just make life so much easier for the next few months. As I said OH's work is a bit erratic at the minute as he is self employed so things are tight. It would make such a difference to get the full amount.

sassa

here's the info we were given regarding rates and travel allowances hope it helps

alwaysadub

Does anyone know if the evening courses pay the same as the day ones? Can't find any info on it, I actually didn't think people on Jobseekers could do a FAS evening course but I was told in the FAS office I could..

emg74

I don't think there is any payment for any Fas courses other than the full-time ones. As far as I know, there is no fee to do them but you do not get any training allowances.

I have been doing a part-time course for the past few weeks (1 Half Day for 8 weeks) - there isn't a payment / allowance for this course but I have to say it has been very helpful.

The course is called "Executive Networking and Support Programme" - I have found it really good. It is basically Career Guidance / Coaching, CV preparation, Interview Techniques.

emg74

Well, I am back after my registration for the course - The training allowance is €188 + a travel allowance so I am delighted. Looking forward to getting stuck into the course and hopefully it will be worthwhile when job hunting.

Thanks everyone for their help and hopefully this thread might be of help to someone else in the same position

bulmersgal

does anybody know if lone parent get fas allowance or is our payment just switch over to fas. I remember years ago girls you's to get 2 payments.

Thats great news for you emg74, I love the fact we gets cets as that makes it so much easier

kimmcc

Hi can anyone help?? My partner claims for me and 2 children on his jobseekers he gets 188 for him 124.80 for me and 59.60 for 2 children. I have applied for fas course full time day course, Will we get any extra money will social welfare cut allowance for 2 kids in half if i get fas course bonus of 20per week, will we be worse off money wise if i go ahead with course I dont fully understand fas website explanation?? many thanks

Rainbow Kitty

kimmcc wrote: »

Hi can anyone help?? My partner claims for me and 2 children on his jobseekers he gets 188 for him 124.80 for me and 59.60 for 2 children. I have applied for fas course full time day course, Will we get any extra money will social welfare cut allowance for 2 kids in half if i get fas course bonus of 20per week, will we be worse off money wise if i go ahead with course I dont fully understand fas website explanation?? many thanks

If you're an adult dependant then you don't receive any payment from FAS, you stay on your other half's payment. You should receive a travel allowance as long as you live more than 3 miles from the training centre.