Question about Carer's Allowance/Student grant

artvanderlay

Hi there,


I receive Carer's Allowance and I'm interested in returning to study this September (Covid permitting). I'm looking at a Masters course that has around 6 contact hours a week; as a carer, I believe I can study/work for up to 17.5 hours per week outside my caring duties, so there shouldn't be a problem there. To finance this course, I would have to apply for the student grant. Looking at the eligibility criteria, I'm fairly sure that I would be eligible for the special rate of grant, and that includes tuition fees up to €6,270 and a (non-adjacent) maintenance grant of €5,915 (2019 rates). My question is would I be able to keep Carer's Allowance and also receive the maintenance grant, or is it that I take one or the other (with Carer's Allowance being more lucrative)?


Thanks.

splinter65

artvanderlay wrote: »

Hi there,


I receive Carer's Allowance and I'm interested in returning to study this September (Covid permitting). I'm looking at a Masters course that has around 6 contact hours a week; as a carer, I believe I can study/work for up to 17.5 hours per week outside my caring duties, so there shouldn't be a problem there. To finance this course, I would have to apply for the student grant. Looking at the eligibility criteria, I'm fairly sure that I would be eligible for the special rate of grant, and that includes tuition fees up to €6,270 and a (non-adjacent) maintenance grant of €5,915 (2019 rates). My question is would I be able to keep Carer's Allowance and also receive the maintenance grant, or is it that I take one or the other (with Carer's Allowance being more lucrative)?


Thanks.

You can have both but you will have to write to Carers and spell out how your entire academic week including getting to and from the school attending lectures and completing course work will clock in at no more then 18.5 hours per week.
They will want the course timetable and a brief about how long it will take you to get there and back. They will want to know who will look after your caree while your not there.
I helped someone recently with this, that’s how I know.

artvanderlay

splinter65 wrote: »

You can have both but you will have to write to Carers and spell out how your entire academic week including getting to and from the school attending lectures and completing course work will clock in at no more then 18.5 hours per week.
They will want the course timetable and a brief about how long it will take you to get there and back. They will want to know who will look after your caree while your not there.
I helped someone recently with this, that’s how I know.

Brilliant. Thanks a lot for this info. I couldn't get an answer anywhere online. Really appreciate your prompt reply.

lughildanach

Keep an eye on the time travelling to and from your course. As Splinter has stated, they can look in to this. But they don't always, and whether this time is counted towards the 18.5 hours is debatable. If they do refuse your claim on this basis, you have a right to appeal that decision.

If your hours do go over the 18.5, you would also have the possibility to switch to Back to Education Allowance, although this would rule you out of a SUSI grant, as you can't get both at the same time.


Also, if you are on Rent Supplement you also need to be careful, as full-time students are excluded from Rent Supplement. The hours in that case don't matter, its about whether the course is described as a full-time course or not.

There are options available if this does apply. You can switch to HAP instead of Rent Supplement, or you can move from Carers Allowance to Back to Education Allowance (but lose your SUSI).

artvanderlay

lughildanach wrote: »

Keep an eye on the time travelling to and from your course. As Splinter has stated, they can look in to this. But they don't always, and whether this time is counted towards the 18.5 hours is debatable. If they do refuse your claim on this basis, you have a right to appeal that decision.

If your hours do go over the 18.5, you would also have the possibility to switch to Back to Education Allowance, although this would rule you out of a SUSI grant, as you can't get both at the same time.


Also, if you are on Rent Supplement you also need to be careful, as full-time students are excluded from Rent Supplement. The hours in that case don't matter, its about whether the course is described as a full-time course or not.

There are options available if this does apply. You can switch to HAP instead of Rent Supplement, or you can move from Carers Allowance to Back to Education Allowance (but lose your SUSI).

Thank you very much for that detailed reply.



I don't get rent supplement, so that won't be a problem for me. I'm looking at doing a Masters, and I think Back to Education allowance is only payable for HDip course, so that rules that out.



I get what your saying about the hours, and I'll get my ducks in row before I even contact Carer's Allowance department. I'm waiting on a timetable from the course at the moment, but I'm fairly sure it's between 4-8 hours per week, so hopefully I'll be under the 18.5 hours limit, travel included.

artvanderlay

Just another question about this: if I did qualify for a student grant, and kept Carer's Allowance too, would the income from the grant be counted as means, and therefore lead to a reduction in my Carer's payment? I can't find an answer to this online.

splinter65

artvanderlay wrote: »

Just another question about this: if I did qualify for a student grant, and kept Carer's Allowance too, would the income from the grant be counted as means, and therefore lead to a reduction in my Carer's payment? I can't find an answer to this online.

No it’s not counted as means.

artvanderlay

splinter65 wrote: »

No it’s not counted as means.

Thanks for that!