Help needed. Cut off JSA for leaving BTEA course

vsTheMachine

Hi, I really need some help! I've been unemployed for over a year and in September I returned to college to take up a one year HDip that was covered under the terms of the BTEA. I was on Jobseekers Allowance up until this point. I have dropped out of the course and now I'm told I will be be cut off the dole.

I decided to leave the course for multiple reasons. The main one is I've been struggling with the course and was going to fail the course. The difficulty of course content exceeded my expectations and this was compounded by not having access to library as the college could not register me as my fees had yet to be paid by my local council. This also prevented me from availing of the €500 BTEA book grant. On top of these academic issues I became depressed during this period and I was struggling with a long commute under public transport. I want to put that out there as I chose to improve myself and get off the dole queue and was not somebody who wanted to take a free-ride. I only received confirmation this week that I had to return a letter to get my fees paid for the course so I haven't actually cost the state money other than what I would have received on JSA anyway

The day after I formally withdrew from the course and I went to my local SW office to notify them that I had withdrawn from the BTEA course and to enquire about how I transfer back or re-apply for Jobseekers Allowance. I was informed by the woman at the counter that I would now be disqualified from JSA and could not apply for it. She then gave me a lecture on the state the country is in, how I was given a wonderful opportunity to go back to college and that the last budget determined that anyone who dropped out of a BTEA course could not apply for JSA. I attempted to explain the legitimate reasons behind my withdrawal and got rebuffed again and again. She told me to speak to my TD if I wanted to.

I was shocked because there is no information anywhere about these supposed draconian measures for leaving a BTEA course, I wouldn't have done the course if that was the case because it's never a guarantee courses work out for people. My understanding was if you had been on JSA before taking up a BTEA you returned to JSA as a repeat claimant. I phoned Citizens Information and the lady said there is absolutely no rules about cutting people off JSA for terminating a BTEA. She said I should go straight back to JSA in these circumstances. I am distressed because this was very a difficult decision that I did not take lightly and if the SW office are right I'm being punished for getting off my ass going to college. I'm living at home with my father who is also unemployed and things are so tight at home that if I lose the dole we'll sink.

I am confused and very worried. I can't imagine I'm the only one who has dropped out of a BTEA course and I still can't find anything definitive online about the consequences of withdrawing.

Any ideas/advice? Thanks

x in the city

contact your local td tbh,

seems harsh alright, no point going back to the social welfare office.

paky

why didnt you just stay registered with the BTEA? maybe its not too late to go back and re enrol. your application is probably still been processed by the council. i dont know your circumstances but you were crazy to give it up considering state the countries in.
im a mature student and i dont have the BTEA and i would of killed for it! ive been living off 50euros a week since i started and to be honest ive no sympathy for you

markc1184

My mate transferred back onto JSA from BTEA about 3 weeks ago without any hassle once he paid them back the €500. He dropped out for reasons similar to yours.

katkin

Ya, sounds like you just bumped into a bitch up there, go back again and try and speak to someone else. If you get on alright and are able to sign back on find out the name of the bitch and complain her to her supervisor.

vsTheMachine

markc1184 wrote: »

My mate transferred back onto JSA from BTEA about 3 weeks ago without any hassle once he paid them back the €500. He dropped out for reasons similar to yours.

Thanks, looks like your mate was lucky not to get fed a pack of lies :mad:

After a bit more digging, from the BTEA

Please note that if you cease your course of education you should notify the Department immediately. If you re-apply for any social welfare payment, you must fulfil the qualifying conditions for the scheme. These include disclosure of all earnings and other income.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Documents/SW70.pdf

and from the Department's own operational guidelines for JSA

Student Disqualifications

THIRD LEVEL STUDENTS

(c) Students who leave college mid-year :
Third level students who state that they do not intend to continue with their studies and leave before the completion of the academic year (without sitting summer examinations) may be regarded as no longer "attending a course of study". As a result they are not subject to this disqualification. Colleges should be requested to confirm that the student has left and does not intend to sit end of year examinations.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/ja_jobseekall.aspx#disqualgen

Absolutely dreading the thought of dealing with these people again tomorrow

Jocnic

Hi, I know it's been a while since the original post but I'm wondering to are the circumstances different now with the social welfare and leaving a btea course to go back to job seekers? The reason I ask is because the course I joined last September has turned out to be quite difficult for me and I have other opportunities arising that I'd like to take full action on but I'd have to go straight back to job seekers first as I have a young baby and rent to look after! I heard I could be left without money for 9 weeks before I get money again. Any info would be great thanks

Sue Ellen

You should be able to sign back on. Get your de registration letter and go to your local office. You should go straight back into payment. They will probably assess you for an overpayment for the book allowance.