Voluntary redundancy

Arist

Hi,

I am currently employed but expect to be offered voluntary redundancy before the end of the year. I would like to accept the redundancy which will be in the region of about €40,000 and apply for a university mature student place next year, to study for a BA. Could anyone advise on how I might get a grant or will I qualify for a BTEA or any other allowances? Apologies if this has been asked before but I couldn't find a similar post. Very grateful for all advice.
Thanks.

steve84

Got this from here:
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/ThirdLevelOption.aspx



You must be at least 21 years of age (24 years of age for a third-level postgraduate course) to qualify for the Back to Education Allowance. For exceptions to the age limit - see below.
If you wish to attend a second level course you must be getting one of the social welfare payments listed below for at least 3 months (78 days of unemployment*) immediately before you start the course.
If you wish to attend a third level course you must be getting one of the social welfare payments listed below for 9 months (234 days of unemployment*) immediately before you start the course.
*If you are getting a jobseeker's payment, each day you are unemployed, except Sunday, is counted as a day of unemployment.
Qualifying social welfare payments are:

• Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit
• Farm Assist
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Deserted Wife's Benefit/Allowance
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Prisoners Wife's Allowance
• Carer's Allowance

If you are getting Illness Benefit for 2 years or more you can also qualify for the Allowance.
Time spent on BTEA, VTOS, FÁS training courses, Fáilte Ireland Training course, Community Employment schemes, FIT, Youthreach, Rural Social Scheme, Back to Work Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, FÁS Job Initiative, Revenue Job Assist, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, in prison or in Direct Provision can count towards the qualifying period. You may go directly from one of the above schemes to Back to Education Allowance provided you were getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments listed above before you started the scheme. You must start your approved course of study within four weeks of leaving the scheme. Otherwise you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before starting an approved course of study.
Redundancy
If you are awarded statutory redundancy under Irish legislation, you can have immediate access to the BTEA. To qualify you must:

• Take part in the BTEA scheme within one year of getting statutory redundancy
• Be entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment before starting your course - see list above

Hope that helps

steve84

This site has info on the grant too:

http://www.studentfinance.ie/

Arist

Thanks Steve. very useful information. Now hopefully the redundancy comes through.
I wonder is there any distinction between voluntary and compulsory redundancy for the purposes of the BTEA?

steve84

No problem, I'm not sure if they handle voluntary and compulsory redundancy differently though..

Best of luck and hope it all works out for ya!