Back to education allowance Cut

steve3194

Hi, I have a question in relation to the back to education allowance. I am heading into third year of college in September and had been in receipt of BTE allowance for the first two years which has been a great help. At the end of last year, like the previous year I was told that back to education wasnt paid during summer I could apply for job seekers.

I received a letter informing me that i had been awarded jobseekers for the summer and to bring a letter from my college in September to be switched back to BTEA.

A few weeks later I got a phone call from someone in social welfare requesting payslips for my parents. I was then later informed that I no longer qualify for jobseekers due to my parents earning "too much". ( I am 22 living at home).

My main concern is that I was informed that due to this I will not be able to get back to education allowance next year. I have not been able to find a part time job and without the back to education I fear I won't be able to return to college next year. I am wondering if this is normal practice?

It doesn't make sense to me. If I had been able to find work for the summer I would still receive btea next year but because I haven't been able to I won't?

Has anyone else experienced this?

LegacyUser

steve3194 wrote: »

If I had been able to find work for the summer I would still receive btea next year but because I haven't been able to I won't?

That's an interesting way to look at it.
It has nothing to do with you working or not working.

You are on Jobseekers Allowance which is a means tested payment.
To progress on BTEA you must meet the criteria for a qualifying payment.
As you are under 25 and live at home you are means tested on your parents income.

That is normal practice.

Balagan

Did your BTEA start in September 2014? Would you not therefore escape the requirement to be rexamined for your qualifying payment? See in bold below although it seems to be somewhat contradictory... Maybe someone very familiar with BTEA changes would know?

4.11 Resuming the course of study

From the academic year 2015/16 all new BTEA participants with eligibility based on a qualifying payment (see 4.1) must re-establish their entitlement to the qualifying payment at the beginning of each and subsequent academic year and continue to satisfy the means test during the academic year (if applicable). The conditionality attached to the qualifying payment must be examined at the beginning of each academic year in order for BTEA to be approved.

For BTEA participants approved prior to the 2015/16 academic year where eligibility was based on jobseeker qualifying payments (see 4.1) the following arrangements apply:

BTEA awarded after 1 January 2013 and prior to the academic year 2015/16: BTEA can be reapproved from the commencement of the new academic year subject to continuing to satisfy the means test of the relevant payment at the commencement of the course of study irrespective of whether they were in receipt of an unemployment payment for the summer period or not.
there is no requirement to re-establish entitlement to an underlying qualifying payment and BTEA payment can continue
BTEA awarded prior to 1st January 2013: The BTEA payment can be reapproved from the commencement of the new academic year, providing that the participant is progressing to the next year of their course or progressing in their levels of education to an approved course of study under BTEA, irrespective of whether they were in receipt of an unemployment payment for the summer period or not. http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Back-to-Education-Allowance-Scheme.aspx

Engine No.9

I thought you had to be a mature student to get BTEA???

Balagan

pajopearl wrote: »

I thought you had to be a mature student to get BTEA???

Age limits
To qualify for the Back to Education Allowance, you must be at least 21 years of age. You must be 24 for a third-level postgraduate course.

However, if you are getting Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit, Jobseeker's Transitional payment or One-Parent Family Payment for the required period (3 months/78 days, 9 months/234 days or 12 months/312 days), are aged between 18 and 20 and have been out of the formal education system for at least 2 years you may qualify.

If you are aged 18 or over (over 24 for the post graduate option) and getting Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Incapacity Supplement for the required period (3 months/78 days or 9 months/234 days) you may qualify.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html