Disability Allowance and returning to education advice?

MickoDeBucko

Hello,

I've just got some questions I want to get off my chest;

I finished applying for the SUSI grant and I'm hopefully going to university in September. I got awarded Disability allowance mostly due to hEDS (hyper mobile Ehlers Danlos) Autism and Bipolar disorder.

My first issue, and I don't know if I'm overthinking this, is that I only got the disability allowance in September 2023, after years of trying and failing to intermittently work (GP strongly encouraged me to look into it, knowing my previous history) and that was after an appeal. Would the relative recentness of the payment and the fact that I'm applying for a undergraduate course be seen as evidence that I can work? Does going back to education like this "provoke" any kind of reaction from the welfare?

My second issue is kind of connected to this too, when exactly should I notify the department of social welfare that I'm returning to education? My PPS is already tied to the CAO and SUSI now, Is it better to wait until I get the offer later in the year?

My third issue, is that when I was talking to the universities disability coordinator I mentioned BTEA and she told me straight out "if you have disability, stay on it, it's a much more flexible, long term payment" I'll have to paraphrase the rest of what she said, but she seemed to indicate that BTEA was inferior to disability and I should steer clear of it, is she correct?

I struggled so long to get the allowance and it was only with a mountain of help from my GP / Psychiatrist, just trying to avoid undue stress, when I first got awarded the allowance the lady in intreo gave me a booklet showing me my options (Fuel Allowance, Free Travel etc.) the book seemed to encourage people on the allowance going into education, so maybe I'm just worrying over nothing?

Any advice would be appreciated.

gipi

This website might help, there's a section on DA and education

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/back-to-education/social-welfare-payments-and-the-student-grant/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20getting%20a%20Disability%20Allowance%20(DA)%20you%20have,Allowance%20at%20your%20current%20rate.

Cherry Blossom

Hi OP, I work part time and study part time on DA. I had no issues at all. You just need to inform DA that you intend to start a course of study and get ‘permission’ from them to go ahead with it. From me they wanted a letter with the course details, name of the course and the college etc and how many hours weekly the course was timetabled for. Ring them up and ask them what you need to send in. They might want to wait till you have an offer letter.

There is only one benefit of switching to BTEA and that is if you have a child you get an additional grant for your first child on BTEA. You can’t get Suzi if you are on BTEA if I remember correctly. DA is the most flexible payment to be on and has the most generous means test so I would advise staying on it. I was advised I could apply for Suzi, except I can’t as the course I am on does not qualify for it.

Best of luck with your application and your studies if you go ahead with it.

MickoDeBucko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123329672#Comment_123329672

Thanks Cherry, this is pretty much exactly what I wanted to know.

endofrainbow

Just to note that reviews can be carried out at any time so a change in circumstances might trigger one. Best of luck on returning to education.