BTEA - Means testing on Summer work?

flashback humour

Finding it very hard to get a straight answer on this!

I have been working part time during college while on BTEA and I will be working during the summer holidays at the same job. I have been told by my own local office and the BTEA head office that I will be means tested on my earnings over the summer unless I finish up the job at the end of the summer and hand in a P45 to my local office.

However, on welfare.ie it clearly states:

If you return to your course in the autumn, and if your part-time job is the one you started the previous academic year (with the same employer), your earnings will not be assessed against your BTEA. However, if you started a different part-time job during the summer your earnings will be assessed against your BTEA.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/353_Back-to-Education-Allowance.aspx (towards the end of the page, under the heading BTEA and part-time work).

I've asked my local office and the head office about this but neither of them seem to have heard of it and are pretty firm on the fact that I will be means tested unless I give up the job. Could it just be a mistake on the website? Or am I interpreting it wrong?

Would really appreciate if anyone could shed some light on the matter!

I would really like to keep the job I'm in for the duration of my course and its really difficult to find a job to fit around my college hours so I wouldn't be confident about picking up another job when I go back after the summer.

flashback humour

Bump...there must be plenty other people who've worked during the college year on BTEA and are in the same boat now?

Lenmeister

I'm in a similar situation to yourself. I'm currently getting btea while studying. I recenty got a letter saying:

Note that your entitlement to the BTEA payment will not be affected if you take up work (or receive a jobseeker's payment) for the summer period.

But the difference is I'm not working. I think it's most likely in your case that they will only look to see if you got a new job that pays a lot more than your previous job as this might bring your "allowed incomings from earnings" over any limits they have. I don't know what the limits are in this case but I'm pretty sure if you are earning above a certain amount they it will affect your BTEA. Hence the reason they will want to means test you again. Going by what they told you, since you'll be in the same job you will be fine.

I'm actually looking to go abroad and work for the summer, so I'm not sure how that would affect me in terms of being means tested or even being allowed to go back on the BTEA. If anyone has info on that I'd be grateful. The social welfare people have always been very vague about anything involving BTEA.

spygirl

https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/353_Back-to-Education-Allowance.aspx

BTEA and part-time work


Academic year: If you start part-time work during the academic year your Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is not affected. However, you should write to your Intreo centre or local social welfare office to tell them when you start work. The part-time work must not affect your studies and college attendance. Your additional income may affect your Rent Supplement, Fuel Allowance or your partner’s payment if they are getting a means-tested payment.

Summer months: If you were getting a One-Parent Family Payment or a disability payment before going back to education your BTEA will continue to be paid over the summer provided you are returning to an approved course and are progressing in your education.

If you were getting a jobseeker’s payment before going back to education your BTEA is not paid over the summer months period between academic years. (It will be paid from the start of the new academic year provided you continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria.) If you work during the summer period your income from part-time or full-time work will be means tested against your BTEA when you resume your BTEA claim. Your BTEA will be affected unless you stop work before resuming your course.

If you are not able to find work during the summer period, you may be entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance. You must meet all the conditions including being capable of work, available for work and genuinely looking for work. If you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and work part-time your earnings are assessed against your JA.

If you stop work or your work pattern changes you should inform your Intreo centre or local social welfare office so your case can be reassessed.

flashback humour

spygirl wrote: »

https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/353_Back-to-Education-Allowance.aspx

BTEA and part-time work


Academic year: If you start part-time work during the academic year your Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is not affected. However, you should write to your Intreo centre or local social welfare office to tell them when you start work. The part-time work must not affect your studies and college attendance. Your additional income may affect your Rent Supplement, Fuel Allowance or your partner’s payment if they are getting a means-tested payment.

Summer months: If you were getting a One-Parent Family Payment or a disability payment before going back to education your BTEA will continue to be paid over the summer provided you are returning to an approved course and are progressing in your education.

If you were getting a jobseeker’s payment before going back to education your BTEA is not paid over the summer months period between academic years. (It will be paid from the start of the new academic year provided you continue to satisfy the eligibility criteria.) If you work during the summer period your income from part-time or full-time work will be means tested against your BTEA when you resume your BTEA claim. Your BTEA will be affected unless you stop work before resuming your course.

If you are not able to find work during the summer period, you may be entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance. You must meet all the conditions including being capable of work, available for work and genuinely looking for work. If you claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and work part-time your earnings are assessed against your JA.

If you stop work or your work pattern changes you should inform your Intreo centre or local social welfare office so your case can be reassessed.

Yes, they have edited that page since my original post (although it states at the bottom that it hasn't been modified since March). Looks like that clears it up anyway. Thanks