On back to education - Can I get fuel allowance and rent supplement?

Hi Guys

I was on Back to Education allowance from September 2010 until last May and I'm currently on Job Seekers Benefit for the summer break. The college course that I am doing resumes in September at which point I should go right back onto the Back to Education allowance.

I'm currently living with my sister but for various reasons I need to move out. I found a place that is a 40 minute walk from the college so it would reduce my travelling costs, it is the cheapest accommodation I can find or afford. I've sat down and budgeted my expenses and the cost of living for the next 12 months and when I factor in selling my 8 year old car and try to be as frugal as possible it should just about stretch to cover everything but it will be extremely tough especially if anything unforeseen occurs.

I have read the welfare.ie website and from what I gather I would not qualify for rent supplement as I would need to be living in rented accommodation for a minimum of 6 months before I could apply to be assessed. Is this true?

Is it possible for someone like me on Back to Education to get the weekly fuel allowance? I believe it is €20 per week and it operates from September through to April - this would be a huge weight off my shoulders if I could get it because it would make life so much easier. But the welfare.ie website mentioned something along the lines of it only being applicable to those on long term job seekers allowance for more than 15 months which I am not. I was only unemployed for 6 weeks and on Job Seekers Benefit before I got Back to Education last September.

I would appreciate any sort of advice. Thanks.

One of the qualifying criteria for Rent Supplement is that you must have been renting privately (and been able to afford the rent) for 6 of the previous 12 months, or have been assessed as having a housing need by the local authority and be on the housing list.

If you don't meet either of these criteria, you won't qualify for Rent Supplement.

You will qualify for Fuel Allowance on Back to Education Allowance if you would have been entitled to it on your current SW income (retention of Secondary Benefit).

Jobseeker's Benefit is not a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. It is a qualifying payment for Smog allowance, which is paid in certain urban areas.

Gipimann, thanks for replying.

I'm currently on Job Seekers Benefit for the duration of the summer until I revert to Back to Education in September. I have never been on Job Seekers Allowance, just Job Seekers Benefit for 6 weeks prior to getting Back to Education last September. I first signed on for Job Seekers Benefit in August 2010 when I was made redundant and was approved for BTE around mid September.

Did you mean that I would definitely qualify for fuel allowance in September when I go back onto BTE, or did you mean that I would only get fuel allowance on BTE if I was on Job Seekers Allowance and fuel allowance prior to getting BTE? Sorry if this sounds confusing.

It is a bit confusing all right!

Additional benefits on Back to Education are based on the underlying SW payment - the scheme you were on immediately prior to going onto BTEA. In your case, the underlying SW scheme is Jobseeker's Benefit.

As Jobseeker's Benefit isn't a qualifying scheme for fuel allowance, you won't get it while on Back to Education.

Depending on where you live, you might get the smog allowance, as that is payable to persons on Jobseeker's Benefit.

Thanks for all your help, Gipimann

I checked the welfare website and it says that Dublin is a smokeless fuel area. So I should qualify for the smog allowance in that case.