scholarship

Hi,

My husband claims for me and 2 kids. I want to study and have applied for a 15,000 euro scholarship. If I receive this will we lose our social welfare (which is currently 17, 000 euro for the year) ?

Thank you

What payment is your husband claiming? For most welfare payments, the first 20,000 of savings or capital are disregarded, although for payments from Community Welfare Officer, only the first 5,000 is disregarded. For Disability Allowance the first 50,000 is disregarded.

Therefore if your husband is claiming Jobseekers Allowance, and you have no other savings, then this income will not affect your payment.

For details on the means assessment of capital see here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/meansassess.aspx

Also, have you checked out to see if you are eligible for Back to Education Allowance? As the qualified adult on your husband's claim, you may be able to claim this. For details check here http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/btea.aspx

If you are eligible for Back to Education Allowance, you receive the full personal rate of payment (currently 188), instead of the qualified adult portion (currently 124.80). You also receive a 500 Euro cost of education grant at the start of the year. Bear in mind though that the Back to Education Allowance can affect any rent supplement if you receive that.

Anyway, something to check out.

Dear Ildanach,

Thank you for responding. My husband is claiming jobseeker's allowance. We have about 10,000 euro in savings. We have no rent supplement. The scholarhsip would be paid on a monthly basis, does that affect anything?

I'm confused about the Back to education scheme. I get a 500 grant, but does that mean I have to pay fees out of that or are fees covered. It's not clear.

With thanks,

Polly

The Back to Education Allowance is a weekly allowance which replaces your social welfare payment. So, instead of your husband receiving an increase for you as a qualified partner, you would receive your own weekly payment, which would be 188 instead of the 124.80 qualified adult payment that your husband would receive now.

Fees are dealt with separately. You can apply to your local authority for the fees to be paid. There is a means test for this too, although if your own income is from social welfare payment and the 15,000 scholarship, you will probably be under the limits. For full details see here: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...emes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html

There is a maintenance grant available as well, although you can't get that portion if you are on the Back to Education Allowance, but you still have to apply for the fees if on the BTEA.

As far as the scholarship is concerned, on reflection I think this could well be considered to be income for Jobseekers, rather than capital, which could mean that your husband could lose most, if not all of his Jobseekers. I would check this out with the Department, or perhaps the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, they run a confidential information line 01 856 0088

I checked out the position in relation to the scholarship. If the scholarship is NOT paid by the VEC, then it is assessed as income, and therefore will be deducted euro for euro off any Jobseekers Allowance claim.