Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
736. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment that take up a springboard course will continue to receive the payment at the prevailing rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22151/20]
View answer742. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow persons on a pandemic unemployment payment whose work is unlikely to return for the foreseeable future to retrain with schemes such as Springboard without their payment being affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22213/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 736 and 742 together.
Under the July Stimulus the Back To Education Allowance has been extended to people who have been in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. The Department's Back to Education Allowance provides income support for people who wish to pursue second or third level courses.
In advance of commencing a course of education or training, either part-time or full-time, including springboard courses, a person in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be required to establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare weekly payment, generally a Jobseeker’s payment. A person will be required to transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to the relevant qualifying social welfare scheme to continue to receive income support while availing of full-time education provision.
The qualification period will be deemed to have been met for a person transferring from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This means someone applying for second or third level education, including springboard courses, will be deemed to have satisfied the required qualification period when they transfer from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Other Back To Education Allowance (BTEA) eligibility conditions apply, including the age of the applicant.
Whereas the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is short term in nature and scheduled to cease in April 2021, the Back to Education Allowance provides long term income support which can be provided for the duration of an education course and which can extend for up to 3 or 4 years depending on the individuals circumstances.
A person in receipt of Back to Education Allowance may also qualify for an annual Cost of Education Allowance if they have one or more children.
A person who is in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will need to complete an application form for Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit (Form UP1 or UP1 JBSE if they are self- employed) and include it with the BTEA application when posting it to their local Intreo Centre. Further information on the Back To Education Allowance scheme is available on www.gov.ie
I hope that this clarifies the position for you.
