BTEA was stopped.

LegacyUser

Hi all, just wondering if this has happened to anyone here.

I'm in 3rd year of a 4 year course. Have been receiving the BTEA since 1st year. Every September I have to bring in a letter from the college saying that I'm registered for the coming year and attending full-time. This is no bother and I have always brought it in promptly as I did in September 2011.

I was on work experience until December 2011 and back to college in January 2012. My payment kept coming until the first week in February. I didn't notice unfortunately for a week and when I phoned up to see what was the problem the lady on the phone got very cross saying I should be checking it every week. I suppose that's fair enough. I asked her what I could do to fix it and she said that they had sent me a letter asking for proof that I was attending college for this semester and that I needed to bring in a letter to that effect.

The thing is, I genuinely did not receive that letter. I live on my own so it's not a case of someone else mislaying it. I also checked my Mam's house and my brother's house as we have the same surname and they hadn't got it either. As I said to the lady in the office, why would I say I hadn't got it when it was in my best interest to just get the letter to them so that I wouldn't be in this mess! I had brought in my letter as usual in September and wasn't told then either that I'd need another one in February.

Anyway, I brought in the letter from college only to find that my claim has been closed and I had to re-apply there and then by filling out a form. I'm so upset over this! Is there a chance I'll be refused? If so, there goes my dream of a degree.

Is there anything I can do? I've heard nothing back from them and the stress of it all is just eating me up. That letter somehow never got to me, on that I swear.

Can anyone give me some advice please?

Thanks

Lugh Ildanach

While of course you should complete any forms that a Department official gives you, this does not mean that you are accepting anything.

You did not get the form, that is fair enough.

You should insist (in writing if necessary) that your claim is re-opened and that you have any money owed to you backdated. If they don't comply with this request, you can ask for the decision to be reviewed administratively (there is no formal appeal with BTEA) and if that fails to resolve it, then complain to the Ombudsman's office.

LegacyUser

Thanks for your reply. I went in again today and the guy on the desk said that it was all sorted.

I got home to find a letter saying that I was back on job-seekers at the rate of 84.50 a week. I've been on 188 all along. When I checked my account the amount that went in was the 84.50

It costs me 50 in petrol alone to get in and out of college every week!

I'm gonna go back in but I'm really scared that they're gonna leave me on that rate!

eastbono

shannon28 wrote: »

Hi All

Im on a ce scheme and hope to start in college in September. I applied for the BTEA as I was on casual jobseekers before starting the scheme.
Yeaterday I went into social welfare to ask if my application for the btea was accepted. I was told there was to be a meeting to see if people on schemes will be allowed to get the btea. Did anyone else hear about these meetings. I am really worried i wont get it now, I was full sure that I would before all this, help and advice anyone

See the following link re btea and qualifying schemes... time spent on a ce scheme may qualify you for btea.http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/btea.aspx
I have heard nothing about meetings about people on schemes being eligible for btea.

eastbono

shannon28 wrote: »

I have printed out the piece from the goverment website showing them that i should qualify but they said that it might be changed at the meeting, they had on Friday. So i dont know, but I thought the goverment bodies could only change it.

Balderdash... it cannot be changed at a meeting. Who is having the meeting? the local sw office? If the criteria for btea were to be changed it would have been announced and done months before this.

Formation

Go to your local TD (don't email or phone as most ignore those bar sending a generic letter).