The back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities programme 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.
To qualify for participation in the scheme a person must be, at least 21 years of age (18 for people with disabilities) and in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for 6 months if pursuing a second level course and 12 months if pursuing a third level course. Persons in receipt of an unemployment payment for 9 months may pursue a third level course if they are participating in the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process.
Lone parents and persons in receipt of an unemployment payment can participate in the scheme if they are between 18 to 20 years of age and out of formal education for at least 2 years. This provision is subject to satisfying the qualifying period in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment.
The back to education allowance is 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. The allowance is not payable in addition to another social welfare payment.
The allowance also has a number of other features attaching to it. It is payable for the duration of the course of study, which in the case of lone parents includes all holiday periods. The scheme itself is not means tested and, consequently, lone parents may take up part-time employment during the academic year and full-time employment during the summer period without affecting their payment. In addition, participants receive a cost of education allowance of €400 which is payable at the beginning of each academic year. Participants may also retain entitlement to any secondary benefits they had while in receipt of the relevant social welfare payment that qualified them for participation in the scheme.