Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2020
165. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are plans to reduce the qualifying period on social welfare in order to receive the back to education payment from nine months to three months for level 8 courses. [32071/20]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level.
A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the BTEA scheme has to satisfy a number of conditions including being in receipt of a qualified social welfare payment for a specified time period, pursuing a full-time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and progressing in the level of education.
The qualifying period for BTEA to pursue a level 8 qualification is nine months. This qualifying period has been waived for people on coming from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This ensures that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic have immediate access to a range of educational options. There are no plans at present to further modify the existing BTEA qualifying criteria.
The BTEA is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third level education system. The Student Universal Support Ireland grant payable by the Department of Further and Higher Education represents the primary support for persons pursuing education.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
