The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. It is essentially a social welfare replacement income which is paid at a standard weekly rate equivalent to the maximum rate of the relevant social welfare payment that qualifies the applicant for participation in the scheme.
Eligibility to participate in the scheme is dependent on the applicant being in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for a minimum period of time and satisfying a lower age condition prior to commencing an approved course of education.
To qualify for participation an applicant must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment and at least 21 years of age prior to commencing an approved course of study. Persons in receipt of disability related payments may access the scheme at 18 years of age. Similarly, lone parents and persons in receipt of unemployment payments can qualify at 18 years of age provided they are out of formal education for at least 2 years.
The eligibility criteria for participation in the scheme are considered reasonable and targeted in order to ensure that resources reach those most in need of support. If a person is in receipt of BTEA prior to reaching pension age, the annual cost of education allowance, which is currently €400, continues in payment beyond pension age during the remainder of the course of study.
I will continue to monitor the scheme but overall it appears that, the current arrangements ensure that my Department's back to education allowance scheme continues to support those people who are most distant from the labour market and whose need is greatest.