Citizens Information Service

Transcription

1 Citizens Information Service Trinity College Dublin Thursday 28 th July 2016 Student Entitlements Dublin City North East Citizens Information Service Unit 4 Killarney Court Buckingham Street Upper Dublin dublincityne@citinfo.ie Alice Kavanagh Information Officer Dublin City Centre Citizens Information Service 13a Upper O Connell Street Dublin dublincitycentre@citinfo.ie 1 Dublin City North West Citizens Information Service Macro Resource Centre 1 Green Street Dublin dublincitynw@citinfo.ie

2 Free, impartial and confidential information on a wide range of state services and entitlements, including: Social Welfare Employment Rights Immigration Health Services Housing Family Matters Education Taxation 2

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6 Information on supports for jobseekers and for people who want to start a business. Information on the services and entitlements available if you are having difficulties paying your rent or making your mortgage repayments. 6

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8 Information publications include: Getting back to work Guide to entitlements for people with disabilities Information for School Leavers Guide to entitlements for over sixties The EU and its citizens Information for those affected by bereavement 8

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10 Citizens Information Centres Wide range of leaflets and application forms Help with filling in forms Look at your options Encourage self-advocacy where possible Telephone calls / letters (as appropriate) Assist with reviews of decisions and appeals (as appropriate) Specialist Services Social Policy role 10

11 Specialist Services Dublin City Centre Citizens Information Service (By appointment only, times and locations vary) Free Legal Advice Centre (FLAC) General, Immigration, Employment and Family Law advice Tax/PAYE Clinic Chartered Accountants Voluntary Advice (CAVA) Citizenship Application & Support Service (CASS) Foreign language services (Polish & Chinese) Family Law Information Clinic Check with other Citizens Information Centres to see what specialist services they provide in your area. 11

12 MABS The Money Advice & Budgeting Service (MABS) is a free, confidential, independent and non-judgmental service for people in debt, or in danger of getting into debt. 12

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14 The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides an independent, confidential and free, representative advocacy service for vulnerable people with disabilities. NAS has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication differences, are inappropriately accommodated, live in residential services, attend day services and have limited informal or natural supports. 14

15 Please Note Information reflects current rules and entitlements. Information generally relates to full-time students. 15

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19 Department of Social Protection Social Welfare Supports and Full-Time Students Overview Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Compulsory if receiving Jobseeker s Benefit or Allowance May be optional if receiving other social welfare payments May retain Rent Supplement Or Stay on Current Social Welfare Payment One-Parent Family Payment Jobseeker s Transition (some former One- Parent Family Payment recipients) Disability payments Cannot retain Rent Supplement Cannot receive Maintenance Grant part of Student Grant May receive Student Contribution part of Maintenance Grant May retain other secondary social welfare benefits (Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package, Living Alone Allowance) Will retain Medical Card for duration of BTEA 19 May receive Maintenance Grant part of Student Grant May receive Student Contribution part of Maintenance Grant May retain other secondary social welfare benefits (Fuel Allowance, Household Benefits Package, Living Alone Allowance) May retain Medical Card (still subject to means test; retention may apply under different rules if start part-time work)

20 Department of Social Protection Social Welfare Supports There were significant changes to the BTEA in There were also changes to the One-Parent Family Payment. The significance of these changes will vary depending on your circumstances. We will not be able to cover all aspects here today, so please contact us individually if you have questions. 20

21 Department of Social Protection Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) An educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. It is not a support for people on the normal trajectory through the education and CAO systems. The objective is to raise educational and skills levels to enable better access to emerging labour market needs in line with the Government s activation strategy set out in Pathways to Work. (new wording) 21

22 BTEA General Conditions Second Level Option FETAC level, PLC, Access Courses Third Level Option HETAC level, Undergraduate, Postgraduate (limited) Recognised/approved full-time day course First time study at that level and first year of course i.e. principle of progression (some limited exceptions) At least age 21 generally At least age 18 if in receipt of Disability Allowance / Blind Pension Can be age if out of formal education for two years At least age 24 for Postgraduate 22

23 BTEA Social Welfare History Conditions Second Level Option 3 months (78 social welfare days) Third Level Option (including H Dip) 9 months (234 social welfare days) Professional Masters in Education 12 months (312 social welfare days) Illness Benefit 2 years (or at least 50% of required time on Illness Benefit and balance of time on another qualifying payment) Can combine/link certain periods of other schemes to qualify (e.g. Supplementary Welfare Allowance, CE Scheme, Tus etc) Statutory Redundancy exception to time limits (not if voluntary redundancy) Must be in receipt of relevant social welfare payment immediately before starting course 23

24 Qualifying for BTEA as a Dependent Adult Change to Rules As before, both partners can simultaneously qualify for a BTEA payment and be supported to undertake courses of study. However, dependent adults will now have to establish an entitlement to their own qualifying social welfare payment before qualifying for BTEA. They can use the time spent as a dependent adult of the main claimant on a qualifying payment towards their own time to qualify for BTEA. They cannot use the time spent as a dependent adult of the main claimant on activation schemes towards their own time to qualify for BTEA. Dependent adults of jobseekers that receive statutory redundancy cannot be approved for BTEA under the shorter time limit rules. 24

25 BTEA Application Procedure Apply on application form BTE1 as soon as possible, including confirmation of your course application. Subsequent registration and attendance confirmation will be required. Applications up to 30 days after starting course will usually be accepted with reasonable grounds for delay. Late applications after 30 days will not generally be accepted. Apply to Social Welfare Local Office or relevant section of the Department that pays you (details on application form). Social Welfare Local Office applications will be assessed by a Case Officer and decided by a Determining Officer. 25

26 BTEA Award Procedure Paid into bank account. Not required to sign-on. Summer break depends on which social welfare payment. Must notify the Department if you leave the course or of any change in circumstances/income. Student data match with HEA and SUSI for control purposes. Refusals cannot be appealed (non-statutory scheme) but you can request a review in writing if you feel decision is incorrect. 26

27 Other BTEA Changes Repeat year paid only if mitigating circumstances. From 2015/16 academic year, student must re-qualify each academic year for BTEA i.e. it does not automatically continue for the duration of course (exception if progressing from previous study and BTEA before academic year 2015/16). Requalifying could be affected by changes in circumstances e.g. no longer single parent, no longer entitled to payment (be it Jobseeker s Allowance, Disability Allowance etc) due to change in spouse/partner s means. If qualifying from Jobseeker s Benefit, BTEA only lasts as long as JB payment (six or nine months). For BTEA to continue, applicant would need to qualify for Jobseeker s Allowance. 27

28 BTEA Rate of Payment No more uprating of BTEA to the maximum individual weekly rate of payment ( 188). Exception - BTEA recipients from before 1 January 2013 who are progressing without a gap in studies. For everyone else, BTEA rate will be same as existing social welfare payment (which may be less than maximum because of means testing). Maximum rate for a couple, even if both are on BTEA, is ( ) (plus increases for dependent children if appropriate) Under age 26 if on age reduced social welfare payment of 100 or 144, this will be increased to 160 per week on BTEA (unless there are also other means). BTEA student can work part-time, as long as it does not interfere with attendance. If you re already working part-time before starting your course, this will have been factored in to your payment (for casual work they average 8 weeks before BTEA). From 2016/17 academic year, BTEA participants, who take up part-time work within the academic year will be assessed in accordance with their primary payment. If your means increase for other reasons, e.g. spouse/partner s work income, this could reduce your payment. If your BTEA is less than the maximum because of means and your income decreases, e.g. you or your partner/spouse have less work, you can ask to be reassessed. 28

29 Rent Supplement A full-time student MUST be approved under the Back to Education Allowance in order to continue receiving Rent Supplement. Either be assessed by a Local Authority (Council) as having a housing need or else six months self-supporting official rental history. Maximum rent limits apply. Means tested income from increased social welfare and part-time work may affect Rent Supplement. Not eligible if you or spouse/partner working more than 30 hours in total per week regardless of income. (exception if approved for Rental Accommodation Scheme RAS) 29

30 Medical Cards Generally means tested, but may be awarded on Undue Hardship grounds if income is over the limit. Income limits are low, but you should qualify if only income is a means tested social welfare payment. Can offset rent/mortgage costs, childcare costs and travel to work costs against income if it is above the limit (but cannot offset household bills). Special Retention provisions for some people returning to work or education (without a means test). Students aged under 25 and financially dependent on parent(s) who have a Medical Card will also get a card (must complete own separate form). 30

31 Thank You Please let us know if you have any comments or questions. You can contact us for more information. 31