Both workers and unemployed have been affected by the latest Budget changes. The main losers will be workers – due to increased levies.
New under 20 Jobseekers allowance claimants will see benefit rates halved – but all others remain untouched.
Workers will get a drop in income – yet most unemployed people will see income remaining the same. The Christmas bonus of 1 extra week’s welfare benefit has been scrapped though.
Budget April 2009 more details.
There was some help for people looking to retrain or reskill.
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) will be changed to allow earlier eligibility to the scheme.To qualify for the second level option, the length of time you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment will be reduced from 6 months to 3 months. You must also be a jobseeker and out of the formal education system for at least 2 years.
To qualify for the third level option, the length of time you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment will be reduced from 12 months to 9 months .
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) and the Department of Education and Science (DES) say they will will provide from within existing resources an additional 23,435 places on training schemes and education programmes .