From VTOS to being back on jobseekers allowance

michael88

Hello if anybody could help me out with this question it would be greatly appreciated. I was on jobseekers allowance for over a year in 2012 and I was finding it very hard to get a job so I decided the best thing for me to do would be to go to collage. I found a course I wanted to do in Dun Loaghaire and I applied for VTOS I got accepted into the course and I just completed two years in senior collage of Dun Laoghaire. The VTOS payment i was receiving was 188 + 20 euro bonus for being unemployed for more than 6 months, and in those two years there have been alot of cuts to the social welfare and age related payment have been added. I taught because i was on VTOS that i would be put back onto the rate of 188 that i was on prior to doing the course because alot of these cuts only apply to new applicants and if i am on VTOS i taught that means i am not a new applicant, i have also got a part time job that i do 1 to 3 days a week that i got a few months ago so now i have applied to casual jobseekers allowance not jobseekers allowence but there saying my flat rate is 120 euro then minus 32 euro which is my means from work so they only gave me out a check of 88 euro!! which is a big difference from my VTOS payment that was not means tested. I think i am entitled to 188 and then minus my means from my part time job i do want a full time job but while i have to claim for welfare i wish to get what i am really entitled to can anybody help me with some information.

Balagan

Where a person is under 26 and has completed such a course of education, Training, Community Employment, Rural Social Scheme or Tús, they will revert to the appropriate age related rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance, if they previously had been in receipt of such a rate.
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Jobseekers-supports.aspx

Age-reduced payments do not apply to someone coming off a recognized course of education when they had been on the full Jobseekers rate prior to starting the course. You should appeal that decision.

michael88

So i should be entitled to the full amount of 188 minus my means from part time work.

Balagan

michael88 wrote: »

So i should be entitled to the full amount of 188 minus my means from part time work.

No, it just means that you shouldn't be returned to an age reduced payment if you weren't on one prior to starting VTOS. Perhaps you haven't been returned to an age reduced payment. Is this €88 the first payment you have received since finishing VTOS and the means for your casual work kicking in? If so, perhaps it is not for a full week?

michael88

I was on 188 prior to starting VTOS I received my first payment today from the social welfare they told me my flat earnings is 120 euro not 188 and then minus my means from my work with was 32 euro giving me 88. When it should be 188 minus 32 giving me 156.