Back to Education and Susi Please Help

LimerickSports

Hi everyone so im in a very stressful situation at the moment. I decided to hand out some cvs around town, and got called for an interview. I did the interview and they rang and offered me the job just yesterday. I want to work because im finding the summer very boring at the moment without work, my ploblem is i want to go back to college in September, and i need to stay on social welfare to qualift for Back to Education allowance and Susi Grant. The job said i can go on x's and o's so technically im still staying on social welfare but just getting less payments. My problem is that i need to go for an induction this monday so i cant ask susi or social welfare if it is okay to work some hours or will i lose my entitlements to back to education and susi. I really need help, if anyone knows if i can work on x's and o's and still qualify for btea and susi i will greatly appreciate it some advice.

thanks

ttsnar

How long have you been claiming Jobseekers Allowance.

koumi

I'm not an expert but I'm not sure you can get both a grant and btea at the same time, it's one or the other afaik. I'm in the same boat and had been hoping to apply for btea in September. In order to qualify you need to be in receipt of social welfare payment for at least of three months prior to and immediately before starting the course. If you are able to sign for a number of days then you are in receipt of some form of social welfare and would continue to be eligible.

I've had a couple of different offers of part time temporary summer work (typically just in advance of returning to full time education) and in the event I obtain any I will lose eligibility, which is a bit f?cked up. I have some money saved and in that event will apply for a loan to cover fees or seek a grant for assistance and will just lie and not tell social welfare I'm in college. There's not a snowballs chance in hell I'll be giving up the chance of returning to study, no matter how hard they make it.

(or option three, remain unemployed and let the tax payers sweat it out)

Ineedaname

koumi wrote: »

I'm not an expert but I'm not sure you can get both a grant and btea at the same time, it's one or the other afaik. I'm in the same boat and had been hoping to apply for btea in September. In order to qualify you need to be in receipt of social welfare payment for at least of three months prior to and immediately before starting the course. If you are able to sign for a number of days then you are in receipt of some form of social welfare and would continue to be eligible.

I've had a couple of different offers of part time temporary summer work (typically just in advance of returning to full time education) and in the event I obtain any I will lose eligibility, which is a bit f?cked up. I have some money saved and in that event will apply for a loan to cover fees or seek a grant for assistance and will just lie and not tell social welfare I'm in college. There's not a snowballs chance in hell I'll be giving up the chance of returning to study, no matter how hard they make it.

(or option three, remain unemployed and let the tax payers sweat it out)

You cans still get the fees grant on BTEA just not the maintenance grant.

OP when you say you're going back to college do you mean you're already in college and going back for another year of your course? Id so you're free to work over the summer as long as the Social Welfare are aware you're going back.

LimerickSports

Ineedaname wrote: »

You cans still get the fees grant on BTEA just not the maintenance grant.

OP when you say you're going back to college do you mean you're already in college and going back for another year of your course? Id so you're free to work over the summer as long as the Social Welfare are aware you're going back.

Thanks for the replys I actually want to go back to college , Ive been offered a good job in an department store, I'd love to take it part time as jobs are hard to come by know and it seems like a nice place to work , they want me to start my induction tommorow, I told them my situation about the possibility of going back to college they said I could go on xs and os but warned i may lose college benefits, I said I'd have to wait for the social welfare to open on Monday morning to find out, but seems like I got answers here will have to tell them i can't take the job

koumi

Ineedaname wrote: »

You cans still get the fees grant on BTEA just not the maintenance grant.

OP when you say you're going back to college do you mean you're already in college and going back for another year of your course? Id so you're free to work over the summer as long as the Social Welfare are aware you're going back.

Yeah, I was just reading about the fees grant and would be ok with that, I could try get some kind of evening work cleaning offices or something if it was enough to finance myself for the next couple of years.

LimerickSports wrote: »

Thanks for the replys I actually want to go back to college , Ive been offered a good job in an department store, I'd love to take it part time as jobs are hard to come by know and it seems like a nice place to work , they want me to start my induction tommorow, I told them my situation about the possibility of going back to college they said I could go on xs and os but warned i may lose college benefits, I said I'd have to wait for the social welfare to open on Monday morning to find out, but seems like I got answers here will have to tell them i can't take the job

I would go and ask the social before making any kind of decision, the information you've provided is sparse and to be honest I'm not following which acess route you are applying for and how part time work will affect that. You really need to check in with the social, or contact citizens information or if the college you have applied to has adult information office they will be able to help.

LimerickSports

yeah but the thing is my induction training is on 10 on monday morning, which leaves me no time to get to the social welfare and find out these things, its a disaster, thats why im asking here, i dont want to leave the company down and waste their time

koumi

LimerickSports wrote: »

yeah but the thing is my induction training is on 10 on monday morning, which leaves me no time to get to the social welfare and find out these things, its a disaster, thats why im asking here, i dont want to leave the company down and waste their time

Go do the induction, you have nothing to lose. If it is part time work it wont affect your eligibility because you will be receiving some form of social welfare while there. Contact them once you get the opportunity, don't tell them you've started working just yet, but ask them how you would be fixed if you took the part time work that has been offered. Take the work, give it a week to see how things are and you can leave or stay based on the information you've discovered in the meantime. SW doesn't have to know until you sign a contract.

LimerickSports

i dont know koumi that is very risky thing to do, the susi forms and back to education take everything into account, and ask for every little thing about your money etc. and besides they asked me to bring my ppsn and bank details to the induction which could automatically mess things up for me

koumi

LimerickSports wrote: »

i dont know koumi that is very risky thing to do, the susi forms and back to education take everything into account, and ask for every little thing about your money etc. and besides they asked me to bring my ppsn and bank details to the induction which could automatically mess things up for me

Would you risk it for a biscuit. (yes I would)
You can't have both a susi grant and a btea allowance at the same time, afaik so I'm not sure which route you are looking to take. If it is btea allowance and you've been unemployed for at least three months you are currently eligible. If you take part time work and are still in receipt of social welfare, you are still eligible.

Someone else might be able to enlighten you with regard to the susi grant, I was under the impression that it is only available to those under the age of 23 attending third level education for the first time and most likely still dependent on parents for income. (which is assessed on application)

Attending an induction day does not equate to employment and until you have a contract signed or hours rostered you do not have to declare anything to the social.

Owryan

Susi will only look for you income for the year prior to going to college. Once you are under the threshold you should qualify for the student contribution but you haven't told us if this is your first time applying for college so there is not enough to go on. Likewise if you are over/under 23.

As for the job, do the induction then go see social welfare. No point giving up a job just because you may or may not be going back to college. You never know maybe they will give you hours if you stay with them.

LimerickSports

ok guys thanks for the advice, i guess i just feel bad like id be wasting their time, doing the induction and everything, and then saying oh no i cant take the job, the staff there seem really nice, and id be putting them out by doing this, and they probably wont hire me again thats what im thinking. i appreciate your comment kuomi but your wrong about the grants and btea, you can get both your college tuitons paid for and btea (which is same as social welfare payment). its not one of the other im sure of this, so i dont know where u got your info from. and im 29 and want to study social care so i will be starting in first year

koumi

LimerickSports wrote: »

ok guys thanks for the advice, i guess i just feel bad like id be wasting their time, doing the induction and everything, and then saying oh no i cant take the job, the staff there seem really nice, and id be putting them out by doing this, and they probably wont hire me again thats what im thinking. i appreciate your comment kuomi but your wrong about the grants and btea, you can get both your college tuitons paid for and btea (which is same as social welfare payment). its not one of the other im sure of this, so i dont know where u got your info from. and im 29 and want to study social care so i will be starting in first year

I actually don't know about susi other than what I've experienced as a parent who's child has been in receipt of it now for four years, I've had to fill out those forms every year so I am aware of the requirement with them. There was concern last year because we were led to believe by the social that she was no longer eligible as she was turning 23 this year but it turns out that she can retain it to year ending. If she were to remain in college next year she would have to switch over to btea.
I know for sure susi is not available to me but I hope to able to get the fees grant (maybe this is what you mean by susi) in that regard.
I honestly don't know which route you are applying through so better go talk to the social.

LimerickSports

yes the fees grant is called susi

koumi

ok

LimerickSports

Hey just said I would update you guys, I have taken the job and enjoy, have good enough hours too. The susi fees and btea should be fine, I checked with them . So the option of going back to college is still there, thanks

matchboxyouth

LimerickSports wrote: »

yes the fees grant is called susi

Hey LimerickSports, I'm just wondering how you got on with working and the BTEA?

I'm currently looking at a similar situation this summer. I've been receiving the BTEA and progressing through the FETAC levels the last 5 years (Level 5 to Level 7 as of now)

I now wish to complete the level 8 next year. I also want to work this summer as I feel similar to you in that regard; its boring, it can be a waste of time and also it is a great opportunity to get some rent for the academic year covered etc. But I have a huge fear of losing my BTEA or SUSI fees grant or ultimately worse, both.
But what was your situation? Did you manage to work and still receive your BTEA? Was it full time or part time?