BTEA and partner's jobseekers

pennylemon

We are both getting job seekers as my partner was laid off last year. But he is going back to uni to do a degree. We have 2 kids and therefore get a split amount. But, I've been told by a social welfare officer that what ever he's on when he applies for BTEA he will get that amount, set in stone for the 3 years, regardless if I get a job and he could claim for the children. Is this correct? There's a difference of €112 A month if not!! That would be enormous help during college.

upinthesky

yes he will because its not means tested but in the summer if you were working he would be means tested or if both of you are on jsa in the summer you will revert back to the original payment

paperclip2

Also worth thinking about is if you claim for him and the kids he can apply to SUSI for a grant as he has no payment in his own name. That could give him anything from €315 to €5,915 over the 9 months of the academic term if he meets the application criteria.

upinthesky

paperclip2 wrote: »

Also worth thinking about is if you claim for him and the kids he can apply to SUSI for a grant as he has no payment in his own name. That could give him anything from €315 to €5,915 over the 9 months of the academic term if he meets the application criteria.

I could also do this, but will his jsa be means tested then?

pennylemon

paperclip2 wrote: »

Also worth thinking about is if you claim for him and the kids he can apply to SUSI for a grant as he has no payment in his own name. That could give him anything from €315 to €5,915 over the 9 months of the academic term if he meets the application criteria.

As far as I can see, he can't claim for maintenance grant when you get BTEA, just the fees grant, which is still a big help.

pennylemon

lisar816 wrote: »

I could also do this, but will his jsa be means tested then?

Closing date is 1st August, so you would need to apply today!! And yes, it's means tested. It's more for students coming out of leaving cert. and €3000 is very little compared to jsa amount every week. So you're better off on BTEA and get fees paid.

upinthesky

pennylemon wrote: »

Closing date is 1st August, so you would need to apply today!! And yes, it's means tested. It's more for students coming out of leaving cert. and €3000 is very little compared to jsa amount every week. So you're better off on BTEA and get fees paid.

I have already applied and sent in my documents, i mean my patners jsa would that be means teseted if i went for the grant instead of btea.

last year i got btea of 230 and my patner got jsa of 201 so if he was to go ahead and claim the 402 for both of us i could get the monthly grant if you understand what i am saying.

but want to know how much would come of the 402

pennylemon

lisar816 wrote: »

I have already applied and sent in my documents, i mean my patners jsa would that be means teseted if i went for the grant instead of btea.

last year i got btea of 230 and my patner got jsa of 201 so if he was to go ahead and claim the 402 for both of us i could get the monthly grant if you understand what i am saying.

but want to know how much would come of the 402

I know what ya mean, but what I'm thinking is if he took the whole family claim on jsa. Then when he gets the BTEA he will have that amount untouched for 4 years regardless if I get a job! It's a lot of money like

upinthesky

oh ye you could do it also that way but he wouldn't get it for the summer btea stops in june then starts up again in september

Annasopra

paperclip2 wrote: »

Also worth thinking about is if you claim for him and the kids he can apply to SUSI for a grant as he has no payment in his own name. That could give him anything from €315 to €5,915 over the 9 months of the academic term if he meets the application criteria.

I was answering Lisars query above - can you really do this? I don't think it's possible to do. If a qualified adult is a full time student then I don't think you can still claim the jobseekers allowance increase for them.

paperclip2

mango salsa wrote: »

I was answering Lisars query above - can you really do this? I don't think it's possible to do. If a qualified adult is a full time student then I don't think you can still claim the jobseekers allowance increase for them.

I checked this with our local DSP office about 2 weeks ago and they told me that a QAD is not on the live register and so they aren't concerned with what they do. They are concerned with what the primary claimant does. It's possible for a QAD to study without it affecting the JSA/JSB claim. As a QAD doesn't have a payment in their own right they can apply to SUSI.

Jalalabad

Sorry to highjack this thread but I'm looking to go back to college full time when i'm laid off in a few months time. Looking to start in sept 2015. My wife hasnt worked for years and has stayed at home for the past 8 years raising the kids. I have searched the citizens information and revenue pages on line but can't find any information on what grants or payments are available to us.
I know that if i'm laid off the 9 month wait on the btea payment is waived but as my wife is not working what else is available to aid the funds?
Has anyone ever gone back to college with a wife and kids at home?
How did you find the financial side of things ie. mortgage and bill payments?
If I can't afford to go back it'll mean struggling along in another dead end temporary job.

pennylemon

Hi,

If you're still unemployed by the time you start college you are entitled to your full BTEA allowance for duration of degree, but in the summers you will have to go back to job seekers. While you're in college term your BTEA will be untouched. your wife may work and you can work part time and it won't effect your payment. While both of you are not working you will be entitled to full job seekers plus an allowance per child. Unfortunately you won't be able to get help with mortgage etc from social welfare. You will need to contact your lender to perhaps restructure your mortgage. But there is back to school allowance and fuel allowance which is an extra few bob.

Myself and my partner were made redundant two years ago and so we got the full allowance with two children. Now, I'm just finished 1st year and my partner has found part time work which only effects us in the summer with job seekers being cut. In September we will return back to full payment. But before I started I made the full family payment in my name and so he gets nothing. This means my BTEA will not be touched.

You will be entitled to SUSI grant for your fees to be paid but not the maintenance part. But BTEA is a lot more money than the maintenance. I go to Sligo IT and there is a student assistance fund available after October every year. I got a thousand euro from them to help with bills and travel costs to college. I also got a further 600 from Donegal Development company towards my education also. I'm not sure if either funding is available in other colleges or counties. When I started the college also emailed about giving me help for childcare if my partner was working.

So there is extra help, not much, but you will have to find out from the college you will be attending and if there is any more institutions that fund like Donegal Development Company. We are very tight with money, the fuel costs are the biggest payout but I car share so that makes it a bit easier. I never buy lunch and we never eat out at home either. It's a struggle but I'm hoping it will be worth it in the end. This is a great country when the benefits are not abused but really help people like us who appreciate it and use it to further our careers and support our families. So you should sit down and weight up exactly what you can afford and still need some small disposable amount every week. MABS are great to help with these type of situations too. Commitment to a degree with a family at home is a big step, but it's in the right direction. Best of luck and I hope this helps.

Jalalabad

Thanks a million Pennylemon. that must have taken you ages to write! I've got some more info through the good people on boards and now yourself so my wife and I are feeling a bit more confident about the future and it has made me certain that when i'm laid off it's the path I want to take.
When the time comes and i'm officially laid off i'll call in to my bank and suss out where we stand and if they'll help. Hopefully they'll understand that i'm doing this to secure future income.
How did you cope paying your mortgage etc?

pennylemon

Ah you're grand, I was very stressed about starting college and got very little advise from anyone so I appreciate you needing to know it all before you commit to it.

Luckily we bought just after the recession started so our mortgage is actually fairly cheap and manageable. We are about two months behind but I pay off bits every month to catch up. Some months can be hectic enough so be prepared for this to happen maybe. But as long as you keep in contact with your mortgage provider they will help you out. It's in their interest to make sure your payments are manageable too. We also cut back one car and he drives a moped now. We also got rid of sky and got in a dodgy box and watch tv online. There are loads of ways to cut back your living when you sit don and figure it out. Good luck!

Jalalabad

Contacted the course director and even though it says in the diploma course material that graduates from the diploma go directly into the 2nd year of the degree he doesnt think thats possible so i'd have to do the full 4 years. This has changed my financial status so not sure if i can afford it now. Was budgeting that my redundancy would cover the mortgage for the 3 years and the social sort the rest but it wont stretch to 4 years!! fecks sake. changing goal posts mid course is a balls.
Might have to go the distance learning route now (if i can get a job when i'm laid off that is!!)

pennylemon

Oh thats unfortunate... keep at it though you'll find a way of working it out! Good Luck