BTEA Partial Payment

HoPpiE

Hello, I have dilemma that hopefully somebody here will be able to help me with.

I'm currently in receipt of BTEA which is being paid to me whilst I am undertaking a compulsory internship, in the UK, as part of my course.

So today I checked my bank balance and was only paid €62.70 of the €188 I usually receive.

Anybody know why this may be? Or who to contact? Not that I'll actually have time to ring anybody regarding the matter it until next week.

But if this cannot be resolved via email or phone call them I am in serious bother financially, as my internship is unpaid and I completely rely on the BTEA to survive.

Any bit of help is greatly appreciated.

Postit

HoPpiE wrote: »

Hello, I have dilemma that hopefully somebody here will be able to help me with.

I'm currently in receipt of BTEA which is being paid to me whilst I am undertaking a compulsory internship, in the UK, as part of my course.

So today I checked my bank balance and was only paid €62.70 of the €188 I usually receive.

Anybody know why this may be? Or who to contact? Not that I'll actually have time to ring anybody regarding the matter it until next week.

But if this cannot be resolved via email or phone call them I am in serious bother financially, as my internship is unpaid and I completely rely on the BTEA to survive.

Any bit of help is greatly appreciated.

At a guess I would say they paid you for two days last week (€188/6 days = €31.33 per day, multiplied by two = €62.66) and have not paid you for any days this week as they are cutting you off for the summer.
They would have sent a form to your address in April/May asking you to fill in the date you finish college for the summer and/or advise them of work placement etc.
You need to call your local social welfare office asap.

From http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

"Back to Education Allowance is paid in the same way as your current social welfare payment. It is paid for the duration of the course. If you were previously getting a jobseeker's payment, you do not get the Back to Education Allowance during the summer period between academic years. However, you can apply for Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance if you meet the qualifying conditions. You may get BTEA during the summer if you are on work placement or work experience that is an essential part of your course."

HoPpiE

Well firstly, thank you for the swift reply.

I actually submitted a document that stated I would be on placement until 31st of August, and as this was accepted without question I wouldn't have thought being cut off would be an issue.

I'm not actually sure whether phoning them is possible for me due to lack of funds caused by this mishap.

Clemenza

HoPpiE wrote: »

Well firstly, thank you for the swift reply.

I actually submitted a document that stated I would be on placement until 31st of August, and as this was accepted without question I wouldn't have thought being cut off would be an issue.

I'm not actually sure whether phoning them is possible for me due to lack of funds caused by this mishap.

You're wasting your time phoning them as its nigh on impossible to get them to answer phones in the social welfare.

I would suggest maybe getting a friend or family member to call into the social welfare on your behalf with a general query as to why this may have happened and what to do from here?

HoPpiE

Ya I reckoned phoning them would be a waste of time after using up the remainder of my credit letting the phone ring out there.

A good suggestion, but I don't have anyone rely on for that as my local office is in Dublin and my family live in Mayo. Plus any of my friends who might be able to help are also on placement like myself.

I have a feeling this could cut my placement short and have consequences on my results.

Postit

HoPpiE wrote: »

Ya I reckoned phoning them would be a waste of time after using up the remainder of my credit letting the phone ring out there.

A good suggestion, but I don't have anyone rely on for that as my local office is in Dublin and my family live in Mayo. Plus any of my friends who might be able to help are also on placement like myself.

I have a feeling this could cut my placement short and have consequences on my results.

Send an email to your local TD (in Dublin), explain the situation and your lack of funds to make calls etc. They'll sort it out for you.

HoPpiE

I have a friend who luckily has this afternoon off and is willing to call into my local office and see can he get any information or perhaps a way of remedying the situation without me being present