Clarity Please on number of signing days

I'd really appreciate it if anyone out there can help me. I'm getting conflicting answers from the social welfare officers and citizens information. I was made redundant on October 6th 2009. I received JS Benefit up until October 2010 and went immediately onto JS Allowance. On December 6th I started a FAS course that is due to run until January 21st. Here is my dilema. There is a possible option of me finding a part-time job due to come up in January. I could not afford to work only on a part-time basis so I enquired about the Part-time job incentive scheme. It states that you have to be getting a job-seekers benefit for a minimum of 15 months. I have been told that my six weeks on this FAS course does not count as part of the 15 months. My simple calculation would mean that as of January 6th 2011 I will have been unemployed for 15 months (maybe I'm simplifying things!!!) Can anyone clarify this for me. As at December 5th I had 361 days of signing. Can anyone please let me know how many more days/weeks I would have to sign to be eligible for this scheme. Thanks

15 months on jobseekers (benefit or allowance) equates to 390 days (based on a 6 day week).

If you've got 361 days to December 5th, then you are 29 days or almost 5 weeks short of 15 months.

Thanks for the reply. I still don't understand why they do not count the FAS course as part of your unemployment. Still only getting the same money as JSA. Once again thanks