3rd level college on Disability Allowance

Patient11

I've been on Disability Allowance since last December.


Can anyone tell me if I'm entitled to do a full time 3rd level college course and keep my Disability Allowance ?

banie01

Question is answered here.
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Disability-Allowance.aspx

Patient11

banie01 wrote: »

Question is answered here.
http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Disability-Allowance.aspx

Thanks I read the link it only seems to refer to SOLAS and not 3rd level education.

nothing

Yes, you can. (have done so myself and know a few others who have too)

Patient11

nothing wrote: »

Yes, you can. (have done so myself and know a few others who have too)

How does that work would I have to ask the welfare permission before I sign up for a course ?

nothing

Patient11 wrote: »

How does that work would I have to ask the welfare permission before I sign up for a course ?

Hmm well I got mine in the middle of it, but don't think I ever had to get permission or anything. I did let the college know the nature of my disability to make sure appropriate helps were in place in case anything went wrong. Give them a quick ring and they'll tell you if you need to send in a form or anything.

Conall Cernach

You're probably better looking at Back to Education Allowance which you would qualify for after being on Disability Allowance for 9 months and if you're over 21.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

nothing

Conall Cernach wrote: »

You're probably better looking at Back to Education Allowance which you would qualify for after being on Disability Allowance for 9 months and if you're over 21.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

Don't do that as you're then disqualified from applying for susi (unless the rules have changed)

splinter65

Conall Cernach wrote: »

You're probably better looking at Back to Education Allowance which you would qualify for after being on Disability Allowance for 9 months and if you're over 21.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

No this is not good advice at all, please ignore this OP.

dartboardio

My boyfriend was on disability allowance and they moved him to Back to Education Allowance for the duration of his course.

Fxck Susi. Btea is better as you get 200 euro a week regardless. Susi is means tested and you can get anywhere from 134 A MONTH to 600 a month.

Then for the summer months they switch you to job seekers, then back to BTEA when you return for year 2 or 3 etc of college

nothing

dartboardio wrote: »

My boyfriend was on disability allowance and they moved him to Back to Education Allowance for the duration of his course.

Fxck Susi. Btea is better as you get 200 euro a week regardless. Susi is means tested and you can get anywhere from 134 A MONTH to 600 a month.

Then for the summer months they switch you to job seekers, then back to BTEA when you return for year 2 or 3 etc of college

SUSI would be additional to disability, which is 203 a week. You may also get additional benefits with disability that I'm not sure apply with btea. Also if you're unable to work due to a disability why would you be switched to job seekers where you're also not entitled to things such as free travel? Btea is a bad option in the ops case.

Edit to add link
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/social_welfare_payments_and_the_student_maintenance_grant_for_the_2010_11_academic_year.html

Btea rate is equivalent to your payment rate, so you would be no better off financially in that sense.

It really depends on whether you qualify for a susi grant (stay on DA), whether you are getting rent supplement (move to BTEA unless SUSI grant amount outweighs loss, think the rules are different for HAP though), whether you'll be on erasmus (a year in a uni abroard, definitely move to BTEA for that year).

Conall Cernach

splinter65 wrote: »

No this is not good advice at all, please ignore this OP.

Oh right, I didn't twig about Susi.

splinter65

Conall Cernach wrote: »

Oh right, I didn't twig about Susi.

If you have DA and leave it to go to BTEA then you will lose your free travel and your living alone increase and your free electricity units/free tv license and you can’t apply for SUSI.

dartboardio

I thought you can't stay on DA while participating in a college course? Or am I wrong, presumed you had to move to the likes of BTEA

nothing

dartboardio wrote: »

I thought you can't stay on DA while participating in a college course? Or am I wrong, presumed you had to move to the likes of BTEA

Only the case if you're on jobseekers