Can someone please shed some light on this

stevek93

Hi all,

I need to know if this is a yes or a no answer, I started a FETAC level 5 course in 2012 3 years ago receiving the full back to education of 188, during the summer of 2013 I qualified for job seekers allowance at a rate of 100, I was starting my second year of the term in September. Come September I claimed the back to education again now was told I would be only receiving 160 because of the budget of that year. After a long despite I was told it was a miscalculation and 188 should be my rate each week which I was back dated this was now a level 6 course.

I have now progressed my studies to DIT the previous college being Colaiste Dhulaigh, this is also a level 6 course I am now only receiving 160. I have asked citizens information about this their answer was as it is a progression of the previous course it should not effect my payment.

It also says on the citizens information website "If you defer a year of study you are treated as a new entrant when you return to your course" I never done this so why has my rate decreased?

I also like to note I am 21.

MouseTail

I am very surprised you got to retain BTEA when you were not progressing, ie you did 2 Level 6 Awards. It would appear it was not viewed as a continuous claim as it was not progression.

stevek93

MouseTail wrote: »

I am very surprised you got to retain BTEA when you were not progressing, ie you did 2 Level 6 Awards. It would appear it was not viewed as a continuous claim as it was not progression.

What do you mean you are surprised I got to retain my back to education?

mp22

This may be the reason

All courses must lead to a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) accreditation (these include FETAC or HETAC awards) or equivalent. You must also progress in educational qualifications. For example, if you already have a Level 6 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications, the course you attend must be for at least a Level 7 qualification. Since June 2014 this progression rule has been relaxed for people applying for second level courses at Level 5 and 6 in certain limited circumstances. If you already hold a Level 5 or 6 qualification in an area that is no longer growing, you have worked for at least 3 years in Ireland and you satisfy all the other BTEA criteria, you may be allowed to do further courses at either of these levels - provided the course is at second level, will enable you to progress your career, lasts no more than 2 years (24 months) and meets future skills needs or local demand. Your DSP case officer must also recommend the course.

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

hdowney

Basically. Progression is when you go from say a level 6 to a level 7. Doing two level 6's would not be considered progression as they are on the same level on the framework. The poster is surprised that the dept granted you BTEA to go from one level 6 to another, without any significant gap in education.

myshirt

I only know from my social circle that there are a few cases in progression about whether the BTEA rate is 'locked in' on entry so to speak, or whether they are allowed to recalculate.

Speak to some and they would say you never, ever should have got 188 when the scheme became capped at 160 for your age group. Speak to others and they'll say 188 all the way. Essentially, you may or may not owe money back.

Your problem here is that the scheme is structured as non-statutory, and appeals or assessments are generally at a local level only. But I would say op that I too am surprised you got on the way you did despite staying at level 6, I would possibly be a slight bit worried there. As I see it, you may not be entitled at all.

Have you been in to Citizens info to speak face to face and review?

doc11

Not very up on these things but if your changing course(progression or not) you need to apply for the scheme again and hence be under the new rules. it would be unfair to apply the new rules in the middle of a two year course hence why your rate was unchanged last year, previously you could claim both grant and BTEA but once you changed course progression or not the new rules applied. With regard the two level 6, one will perhaps be from fetac in Colaiste Dhulaigh and the DIT one will be Hetac,so moving from a fetac to hetac qualification at the same level can sometimes be viewed as progression in the department of social welfares eyes. And there is numerous cases of people getting BTEA to do another degree on here even though they already have one as all the decisions are made in the local offices and not centralized like pensions or illness benefits they can be vastly different decisions between offices/staff.