Back To Education Allowance

boardsuser1

Hi all,

I have a query regarding B.T.E.A.

I am in my 30's and looking at doing a 3 year full time course.

My issue is if i give up my job to do this would i be eligible for B.T.E.A?

I am a man with a mid sized young family and my current job isn't something i want to do long term.

The career i am looking at is in the social care sector of which i have over 25 years experience of it in many ways shapes and forms and was asked to consider it as my knowledge of the sector would be a valuable insight.

Anyhow, i have decided to do it if i possibly can.

Any help/advice is welcome.

MODS: feel free to move if this is in the wrong forum.

KC.

empacher

You need to be collecting a social welfate payment for 9 months prior to commencing the course

1moreyr

You only need to be collecting social welfare for 3 months for some of the access courses that the colleges offer. Worth looking into

boardsuser1

Thanks guys. Contacting the main college tomorrow to get their advice on it.

Is it 3 months once the course starts or 3 months on application?

I know you can work part time with B.T.E.A which would be great if i could manage it.

1moreyr

I am not sure so check it out with social welfare. Also if you are voluntarily giving up your job you will need to factor in the time frame before you are eligible to apply for SW, I think it is 9 weeks???

boardsuser1

1moreyr wrote: »

I am not sure so check it out with social welfare. Also if you are voluntarily giving up your job you will need to factor in the time frame before you are eligible to apply for SW, I think it is 9 weeks???

Just been told by the college i'll have to apply through the C.A.O.

Basically if i were successful i'd be starting in September 2017.

I'll just have to carry on working for now and either save very hard/get credit union loans or ask my employer to "fire" me to become eligible for B.T.E.A via Jobseekers allowance as a very last resort.

As daft as that sounds it may be my only choice as my current job has long hours with only average money.

empacher

KC161 wrote: »

Just been told by the college i'll have to apply through the C.A.O.

Basically if i were successful i'd be starting in September 2017.

I'll just have to carry on working for now and either save very hard/get credit union loans or ask my employer to "fire" me to become eligible for B.T.E.A via Jobseekers allowance as a very last resort.

As daft as that sounds it may be my only choice as my current job has long hours with only average money.

Or work part time and still collect a sw payment, just work less then 20hrs a week.

boardsuser1

empacher wrote: »

Or work part time and still collect a sw payment, just work less then 20hrs a week.

Might well try that. Casual jobseekers allowance to start off with then transfer over?

Subcomandante Marcos

You have to be collecting JSA for 9 months before the course starts to be eligible for BTEA. You'd need to get "fired" by the 1st of Janurary next to get BTEA for September 2017.

You can't collect JSA and be a fulltime student, so the idea of part-time work, casual JSA and fulltime university is a non-starter as to qualify for casual JSA you have to be available and looking for work for the days your not working and obviously that's not possible if you're in a lecture hall.

If you were awarded BTEA you could also work part time alongside your studies and during the summer you can "sign off" and get a full time job and sign back on in september when the new academic year starts.

boardsuser1

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

You have to be collecting JSA for 9 months before the course starts to be eligible for BTEA. You'd need to get "fired" by the 1st of Janurary next to get BTEA for September 2017.

You can't collect JSA and be a fulltime student, so the idea of part-time work, casual JSA and fulltime university is a non-starter as to qualify for casual JSA you have to be available and looking for work for the days your not working and obviously that's not possible if you're in a lecture hall.

If you were awarded BTEA you could also work part time alongside your studies and during the summer you can "sign off" and get a full time job and sign back on in september when the new academic year starts.

That is possible in my job. But i have another 6 months to decide i guess. I'll have to really look further into this process.

richy

KC161 wrote: »

That is possible in my job. But i have another 6 months to decide i guess. I'll have to really look further into this process.

You will need to quit your full time job before the start of term though. You cant continue your job into the start of the new college term without getting means tested. Once you quit and are back at college you can get another part time job and not be means effected.

If you are going to UCC, I know there are lots of jobs available to students that might suit you for the college term.

Jimmy Bottlehead

richy wrote: »

If you are going to UCC, I know there are lots of jobs available to students that might suit you for the college term.

Hi richy.

Where can I learn more about these jobs?

Similar to the OP, I'm undergoing a career change. Have worked full time for years, but am going on social welfare until the academic year starts at which point I'm presumably not going to be entitled to any sort of assistance.

leesadin

richy wrote: »

You will need to quit your full time job before the start of term though. You cant continue your job into the start of the new college term without getting means tested. Once you quit and are back at college you can get another part time job and not be means effected.

If you are going to UCC, I know there are lots of jobs available to students that might suit you for the college term.

I'd be interested in any jobs available richy..

boardsuser1

richy wrote: »

You will need to quit your full time job before the start of term though. You cant continue your job into the start of the new college term without getting means tested. Once you quit and are back at college you can get another part time job and not be means effected.

If you are going to UCC, I know there are lots of jobs available to students that might suit you for the college term.

I'll have to quit my job as you rightly say. If i can make the sums add up while in college then i will definitely go for it. If not i'm stranded. Happy days when you could do the job by day and go to college 3 nights a week. A win win situation. Not anymore though.

plainlazy

BTEA and part-time work
From 2016/2017 academic year people getting BTEA who take up work during the academic year will have means from work assessed under the rules that apply to their primary payment (the payment they qualified for BTEA from).

Previously part-time work during the academic year did not affect the rate of BTEA paid.

This is from the Citizens Information website. It looks like they have changed the rules on working part time during the academic year and any income will affect your BTEA payment. Basically any income from work will reduce your BTEA payment making it pointless to work part time unless you are getting a big wage!! I intended to start a degree in september but now will have to forget this as i had banked on working up to 20 hours per week to top up my BTEA. Ive a mortgage and bills to pay and cant live on 188 a week for the next 3 years, really pissed off about it. So much for encouraging people to upskill and re educate themselves!!!

elleelle19

OP be careful with that 9 months thing, it is actually a really specific number of days you need to be unemployed. Something like 252 and if you are even a couple of days under they can reject you. I only managed to qualify because term started on the 6th of Sept and not the 1st.

Also, when you leave your job you will be on JB because you have stamps, after that runs out, but before you can apply for BTEA you have to qualify for JA and be means tested. I know a guy who didn't get it because his partner was earning too much and they said he could live off her and didn't need BTEA.

They are making it as tough as possible for people to qualify and will make you jump through so many hoops you'll just want to quit. An judging by plainlazy's post they are trying to make it as unattractive as possible.

Not trying to discourage you, just wanted to let you know that you have to plan way in advance and get all your ducks in a row to get it.

ricksanchez

elleelle19 wrote: »

OP be careful with that 9 months thing, it is actually a really specific number of days you need to be unemployed. Something like 252 and if you are even a couple of days under they can reject you.

234 according to my rejection letter.