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Back to Education Allowance
From Department of Social Protection
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If you are unemployed, parenting alone or have a disability and are getting certain payments from the department, you may take part in a second-or third-level education course in Ireland or Northern Ireland and get a Back to Education Allowance.
Since 2016/17, Back to Education Allowance is only paid for courses that start in Ireland or in Northern Ireland. However, you can be paid Back to Education Allowance for a year abroad (for example, under the Erasmus+ Program) if the year is an integral or mandatory part of your course. This must be verified by the registrar or admissions office of your college.
You must be at least 21 years of age to get Back to Education Allowance (24 years of age if applying for a postgraduate course).
If attending a second-level course, you must have been on one of the below for 3 months or more.
If you are receiving One-Parent Family Payment you must be aged at least 18 years.
If attending a third-level course, you must have been getting one of the below payments for 9 months or more:
- Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit
- Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
- Farm Assist
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
- Prisoner's Wife's Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Blind Pension
- Disability Allowance
- Invalidity Pension
- Incapacity Supplement (based on a life Disablement Pension)
- Illness Benefit
You do not have to have been getting your qualifying payment continuously. You can have a break of up to 12 months from the payment, but you must be on the payment immediately before starting the course.
Time spent on Youthreach can count towards the qualifying period if you can establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment before or after completing the Youthreach programme.
Time spent in prison in the Irish State can count towards the qualifying period provided you establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment.
Time spent on Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) or on direct provision can count towards the qualifying period for Back to Education Allowance. This only applies if you can establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before you start your course of study and satisfy the linking rules.
If you have been awarded statutory redundancy and are entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before you start the course, you can get immediate access to Back to Education Allowance without any waiting period. You must take part in the Back to Education Allowance scheme within one year of getting statutory redundancy and satisfy all the other conditions.
If you qualify, you can keep any extra benefits you already have, such as Fuel Allowance or Rent Supplement.
The rate of payment is the same as the benefit you were getting before receiving Back to Education Allowance. If you were receiving Jobseeker's Benefit, then you will receive the same amount under Back to Education Allowance.
If you have a dependent child, you can get an annual Cost of Education Allowance of €500.
- Jobseeker's payment
- Farm Assist
- One-Parent Family Payment
Send your application form to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
Application Form: Back to Education Programme (BTE1)
Edition: July 2023
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Illness Benefit Section
Address:
Illness Benefit Section, Social Welfare Services, PO Box 1650, Dublin 1
Website:
Email:
Phone number:
- Blind Pension
- a Deserted Wife's payment
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Partner's (Contributory) Pension
Social Welfare Services (Sligo)
Address:
Department of Social Protection, College Road, Co Sligo
Phone number:
- Disability Allowance
- Invalidity Pension
- Incapacity Supplement
- Carer's Allowance
Social Welfare Services Office (Longford)
Address:
Department of Social Protection, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Co Longford, N39 E4E0
Phone number:
Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.