Back to Education Allowance + JSA?

[fleabag]

Hi all, this is my first post and I'm hoping I can get an answer to the following:-

I'm off to college in September and should be eligible for BTEA (made redundant last year and on JSB for nearly 1 year since). My boyfriend is also unemployed and is currently on JSA. At the moment we don't live together but we're going to move in together when I go to college.

My question is if we're living together and I'm getting BTEA and he's getting JSA will the amounts be reduced in the same way as they would be for a couple if they were both getting JSA/JSB?

I tried Citizens Information but this seemed to completely flummox them and they told me that they had no guidelines and they'd have to check and get back to me next week.

Surely there must be folks out there in the same situation and any feedback would be great. Thanks!

 

[Welfarite]

If you go on BTEA before you move in with your boyfriend, you will get €196 on BTEA and your boyfirend will retain his full JA when you do move it. If you move in before you start BTEA, you will be restricted to married couple's rate of JA.

 

[tarpon135]

I find this topic of living together and social welfare a little bit annoying. Why are two people as individuals deemed to receive a different amount to two people living together?After all, tax credits for a married couple (or a defacto couple) are basically two times that of an individual. So by the same token, why isn't the social welfare payment of a couple two times that of a single person? Especially in this position where there are no children involved.