BTEA + Jobseekers combined...is this allowed?

jayjay2010

To cut a long story short, I have a ''friend'' who has never worked a day in his life and disgracefully enough he somehow qualifies for Jobseekers allowance or dole or whatever, he is only 21 but he is getting the full €164 (or whatever the figure is) per week. (he has been getting this every week for the last 2 years or so).

He has just told me now that he has been accepted in an institute of technology 3rd level education and he somehow qualifies for a GRANT.

So he will be receiving a college grant + his usual dole payment every week.

Is this normal/ legal?

I think its an absolute disgrace.

UDAWINNER

knew a fella who got both, also 2 rent allowances, 1 for cork where he lives and another for maynooth where he went to college.

snubbleste

What did he say when you asked if it was normal/legal?

markc1184

AFAIK, you can't get both BTEA and a maintenance grant now. It's one or the other. You can get BTEA and apply to your local council to pay the fees but that's about it. There was a time when you could get both but they have rightfully done away with it.

Rasmus

So your problem is with your friend who has decided to leave the dole queue in order to pursue an education (heightening his chances of employment) or with the government that implements these disgraceful policies allowing each citizen to avail of an education maintaining the skilled workforce in Ireland?

JD81

I can't help but laugh at this, so because your friend is going to get a college education you think its "an absolute disgrace" that he should be helped to achieve this.

Get a life, your friend has.

Agent_99

jayjay2010 wrote: »

To cut a long story short, I have a ''friend'' who has never worked a day in his life and disgracefully enough he somehow qualifies for Jobseekers allowance or dole or whatever, he is only 21 but he is getting the full €164 (or whatever the figure is) per week. (he has been getting this every week for the last 2 years or so).

He has just told me now that he has been accepted in an institute of technology 3rd level education and he somehow qualifies for a GRANT.

So he will be receiving a college grant + his usual dole payment every week.

Is this normal/ legal?

I think its an absolute disgrace.

If he will be in receipt of BTEA the only "Grant" he will receive is Registration Fee which the County council/VEC pay directly to the College, Not the Maintenance portion of the Grant scheme, Since last year it is one or the other not both. Maybe he is getting his hopes up for nothing.

jayjay2010

JD81 wrote: »

I can't help but laugh at this, so because your friend is going to get a college education you think its "an absolute disgrace" that he should be helped to achieve this.

Get a life, your friend has.

Read my post again you idiot.

He's already scamming the system for money that he is not entitled to. And he is not leaving the dole queue. I do think that it is a disgrace that someone who is scamming the system already can be given money to go to college.

I've worked for the last 4 years and he hasn't worked a day in his life, so I suggest you re-read my post before you "laugh" at it.

jayjay2010

Rasmus wrote: »

So your problem is with your friend who has decided to leave the dole queue in order to pursue an education (heightening his chances of employment) or with the government that implements these disgraceful policies allowing each citizen to avail of an education maintaining the skilled workforce in Ireland?

The above also applies to you. I suggest that maybe you should seek some sort of education if you cant decipher a couple of sentences.

When did I ever say he is leaving the dole queue? He isn't!!

JD81

jayjay2010 wrote: »

Read my post again you idiot.

He's already scamming the system for money that he is not entitled to. And he is not leaving the dole queue. I do think that it is a disgrace that someone who is scamming the system already can be given money to go to college.

I've worked for the last 4 years and he hasn't worked a day in his life, so I suggest you re-read my post before you "laugh" at it.

My bad,

Judging by the title of the thread which i glanced at i thought you meant he would be switching from Jsa to Btea which there is nothing wrong with, but yeah i see what you mean, he shouldn't be getting both.

elvis99

UDAWINNER wrote: »

knew a fella who got both, also 2 rent allowances, 1 for cork where he lives and another for maynooth where he went to college.

Report types like that!

As long as this attitude of "ah sure its no harm" continues this country will remain backwards.

Balagan

jayjay2010 wrote: »

To cut a long story short, I have a ''friend'' who has never worked a day in his life and disgracefully enough he somehow qualifies for Jobseekers allowance or dole or whatever, he is only 21 but he is getting the full €164 (or whatever the figure is) per week. (he has been getting this every week for the last 2 years or so).

He has just told me now that he has been accepted in an institute of technology 3rd level education and he somehow qualifies for a GRANT.

So he will be receiving a college grant + his usual dole payment every week.

Is this normal/ legal?

I think its an absolute disgrace.

In answer to your question in the thread title, no not only is it not allowed to have both BTEA plus Jobseekers payment - but the way the system is administered makes it completely impossible. Your friend may well qualify for BTEA which will replace his Jobseekers Allowance and, as others have pointed out, also be in a position to have his fees paid through using the Grant Application form. You may have misunderstood what he told you or he may not have realised that he is entitled to have either BTEA plus fees or the maintenance grant including fees (that can happen as the same application form is used for full grant or just fees) but, in any eventuality, since you suspect that he is committing welfare fraud you should report it https://www.welfare.ie/EN/Secure/Pages/ReportSuspectFraud.aspx Noone here can do anything about it except you.

Balagan

jayjay2010 wrote: »

To cut a long story short, I have a ''friend'' who has never worked a day in his life and disgracefully enough he somehow qualifies for Jobseekers allowance or dole or whatever, he is only 21 but he is getting the full €164 (or whatever the figure is) per week. (he has been getting this every week for the last 2 years or so).

He has just told me now that he has been accepted in an institute of technology 3rd level education and he somehow qualifies for a GRANT.

So he will be receiving a college grant + his usual dole payment every week.

Is this normal/ legal?

I think its an absolute disgrace.

You may disagree with some 21 year olds being in a position to claim the full Jobseekers Allowance but some are entitled to do just that.

The reduced age-related personal and qualified adult rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance for claimants under 25 years of age do not apply in the following cases:

Claimants with dependent children
People transferring to Jobseeker’s Allowance immediately after finishing their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit
People transferring from Disability Allowance to Jobseeker’s Allowance
Where an existing Jobseeker’s Allowance claimant is assessed at the higher rate of allowance gets work but loses that job and is back on Jobseeker’s Allowance within 12 months
People under 25 participating in a course of education, training or Community Employment. However, when the course ends you will return to an age-related JA payment, if you were getting one before you started the course.
You were at least 20 years of age on 30 December 2009 and became unemployed on or before 30 December 2009
You were 18 or 19 on 30 December 2009 and you became unemployed on or before 29 April 2009
You are 22 to 24 and taking part in the Work Placement Programme run by FÁS
Certain children in the care of the HSE during the 12 months before reaching 18 years of age will also be assessed using the JA rate for people aged 25 or over.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html

mp22

I think the op has all the advice they need.

closed