An Evaluation of the Back to Education Allowance

This report presents results from an evaluation of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). The BTEA is a non-statutory second chance education scheme for jobseekers, lone parents and people with disabilities who would like to undertake a full-time second or third-level education course. The BTEA is one of the largest schemes within the Department of Social Protection’s Working Age Employment Supports expenditure programme. The evaluation conducted in this report focuses on the effectiveness of the BTEA in assisting jobseekers to find employment. Data from the Department of Social Protection’s new Jobseekers Longitudinal Dataset was used to conduct the evaluation.