BTEA question

[who ru]

Hi all,

I'm a mature student doing a science course in a regional IT. the course started in Jan '07 and will finish May '08. it involves 12 months in college and 6 months industrial placement.

So far i have completed 6 months in college (jan - june 07) and 6 months industrial placement (june-dec '07). next week i return to college for the remaining 6 months.

my question is is there a possibility i could receive the BTEA allowance for the final 6 months of the course as i have no income for this period. the course itself is an accelerated course and requires 5 days a week in college which doesn't leave much time for part-time work.

My thinking is that i won't be given the BTEA but despite all the calls we hear for low skilled workers to upskill there is very little in the way to assist people financially if they choose to do this.

 

[Welfarite]

Have you contacted the Local Office to confirm that your BTEA has been approved for the full period? Usually, if BTEA is approved, it is approved for the period of the course, be it one year, eighteen months or three yerars. Why should it not be?

 

[who ru]

Hi,

before the course commenced i was working and not unemployed for 9 months as is the criteria i think. i wasn't earning a fortune by any means but i wasn't unemployed either.

the industrial placement paid me for the six months from june to dec '07 - but now i have no income for the next 6 months. as a mature student i'm not entitled to sign on and as far as i know i'm not entitled to the BTEA either since i wasn't unemployed before the course began. so i'm stuck in a no income situation now - what i was wondering is if the social welfare would give me the BTEA for the next 6 months until the course ends to tide me over. after which i will be working in a better paid job and paying more taxes.

i did ring my local welfare office today 3 times but nobody answered the phone. i will call in to see them tomorrow and see what they say. thanks for your reply, all the best.