Since its introduction, the underlying objective of the back to education allowance scheme has been to equip people on social welfare payments with qualifications that will enable them to obtain employment in the labour market. It is a second chance educational opportunities scheme for people on welfare payments who wish to participate in full time education and who would not otherwise be able to do so.
Improvements to the scheme were announced in the recent supplementary budget. The qualifying period has been reduced to three months for access to the second level option. Also jobseekers who engage with the department's facilitator programme can access the third level option at nine months on the recommendation of a facilitator.
In general, to qualify, an applicant must be at least 21 years of age prior to commencing an approved course of study. However, lone parents and persons in receipt of jobseeker's payments can qualify at 18 years of age provided they are out of formal education for at least 2 years. In addition an applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for 3 months if pursuing a second level course or 12 months if pursuing a third level course.
In response to the current economic circumstances people who are awarded statutory redundancy may access the scheme immediately, provided an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment is established prior to commencing an approved course of study. Also as indicated earlier the qualifying period for the third level option is reduced to 9 months for persons who are participating in the National Employment Action Plan process or engaging with a department facilitator.
The Government recognises that education has an important role to play in enhancing the employability skills of those on the Live Register and the qualifying conditions of the back to education scheme will continue to be monitored.