Vtos payment ?

Gatling

Posting for a friend, can't seem to find any proper info on this ,

A friend recently began a year long vtos course her and a partner are on a joint payment they also have 2 kids ,
When she got the course she was told she would receive payments for the course ,one course instructor told her she would get roughly 188+ pw ,
As it turns out 11 of 12 course participant's get around 200e PW ,
Friend was informed today she's only entitled to 5e pw which doesn't even cover a bus pass ,
She's paying 30pw on buses alone on travel then lunch expenses ,

Is there any way any additional help can be given financially its to help with costs doesn't seem right single people getting 200 PW and yet because she has a partner receiving payments she only gets 5e pw ,

Any information would be grateful

danjo-xx

Rates of Payment

Persons in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit receive a weekly training allowance equivalent to the maximum personal rate of Jobseeker's Benefit. Any means which have been assessed are disregarded. Also, increases in respect of qualified adult and child dependents continue to be paid while there is an underlying entitlement to such increases on Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit.


Persons in receipt of One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit/Allowance, Widow's/Widower's Contributory/Non Contributory Pension and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance continue to draw their payments in the normal way from the Department of Social Protection. However, any means which have been assessed are disregarded.



VTOS is not means tested. Therefore the rate of payment is not affected by any earnings/income received by the VTOS participant.
Persons signing for credits only may qualify to participate on a VTOS course. These participants do not receive a training allowance but may receive travel and lunch allowances from the VEC.


The spouse/partner of a person in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit which includes an increase for the spouse/partner may also qualify to join a VTOS course. However the spouse/partner will not qualify for payment in his/her own right while on VTOS, but he/she may get a lunch and travel allowance paid by the VEC where appropriate.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/VTOS---Vocational-Training-Opportunities-Scheme.aspx

Balagan

As from January 2013, the rates of payment for VTOS changed for new participants (i.e., those commencing courses subsequent to Jan 2013.

The recent budget made changes also mainly to the age related payments for those starting VTOS from Jan '14 and also announced that the €20 VTOS top-up for the long term unemployed was also ending for new entrants from coming Jan.

Changes from both Budgets are outlined here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/returning_to_education/vocational_training_opportunities_scheme.html

Above only goes a little way to explaining the OPs friend's predicatment. Sounds like the friend is receiving a meal allowance only from VTOS at the €5 pw., and no travel allowance (which applies for those over 3 miles from course venue) and no other payment. VTOS Course Instructors would not be in a position to advise on what payment a student would get - but it should be equal to what was being received from SW before starting course, plus small meal allowance, travel if over 3 miles and the €20 top up which will be paid for people already on courses prior to Jan '14 and who are eligible for it having been on long-term social welfare payment (12 months min).